Hot and Sour Soup is a classic home-style soup. The tofu is silky, the wood ear mushrooms are crunchy, and the egg ribbons are beautiful. It’s tangy and spicy, incredibly appetizing, and warms you up from the inside out. It’s perfect with dumplings or fried rice.
Prep time: 15 minutes | Cook time: 15 minutes | Serves: 3–4
🌴 Ingredients:
· Soft tofu, 1 block (about 200g / 7 oz)
· Dried wood ear mushrooms, a small handful (about 50g / 1.8 oz after soaking; look for them in Asian grocery stores)
· Carrot, ½ (about 50g; can be substituted with bamboo shoots or enoki mushrooms)
· Egg, 1 (about 50g)
· Shredded pork or ham, a little (about 30g; optional, stir-fry until cooked before adding)
🌴 Aromatics:
· Minced ginger, a small piece (about 5g)
· Chopped scallion, a little
· Cilantro, a little (optional, divided into two portions)
🌴 Seasonings:
· Light soy sauce, 2 tbsp (about 30ml)
· Chinkiang vinegar, 3–3½ tbsp (about 45–50ml; Chinkiang is best. Balsamic vinegar as a last resort, but the flavor will differ. 2 tbsp for the pot, 1–1½ tbsp added just before turning off the heat)
· White pepper powder, ½ to ⅔ tsp (about 1.5–2g; dissolve in a little water first)
· Salt, none or to taste at the end
· Oyster sauce, ½ tsp (about 2.5g; optional, for umami)
· Sesame oil, a few drops (about 1ml)
· Water or stock, as needed (about 800ml / 3⅓ cups)
· Cornstarch, 2 tbsp (about 20g; for the slurry)
· Cooking oil, 1 tbsp (about 15ml)
All spoon measures are level. Chinkiang vinegar is slightly sweet and malty—use it as listed for the best flavor.
🌴 Instructions:
- Prepare the Ingredients
Cut the tofu into thin strips about the thickness of a chopstick and soak them in lightly salted water for 5 minutes. Soak the wood ear mushrooms, blanch them briefly, and cut into thin strips. Cut the carrot into thin strips. ⚠️ Tip: Soaking the tofu in salted water makes it firmer and less likely to break. Blanching the wood ear mushrooms removes their earthy smell and prevents oil splatters. Cut all the strips to the same thickness so they cook evenly. - Simmer the Base
Add enough water or stock to a pot, add the minced ginger, and bring to a boil over high heat. Add the wood ear mushrooms and carrot strips and simmer for 3–5 minutes, until the carrots are slightly softened and the wood ear mushrooms are glossy. ⚠️ Tip: Stock tastes better than water, but water works fine. For extra umami, add ½ tsp of oyster sauce. Simmering the mushrooms and carrots first brings out their flavor and ensures they cook through. - Add the Tofu
Add the drained tofu strips, reduce to medium-low heat, and simmer for 2–3 minutes. Push gently with the back of a spatula—do not flip or stir vigorously. ⚠️ Tip: Reduce the heat before adding the tofu, or a rolling boil will break it apart. Pushing gently with the back of a spatula keeps it intact. Drain the tofu well before adding so the soup doesn’t get diluted. - Season
Add 2 tbsp light soy sauce, 2 tbsp Chinkiang vinegar, the dissolved white pepper, and salt to taste. Stir well. ⚠️ Tip: Add 2 tbsp of vinegar now, and the remaining 1–1½ tbsp just before turning off the heat for a layered tang. Dissolving the white pepper in water first prevents it from clumping. Hold off on the salt—the soy sauce is already salty. Taste first, then add if needed. - Thicken
Mix the cornstarch with 2 tbsp water. Stir again before drizzling it in slowly while stirring. Once the soup thickens, add the second batch for a glossier, richer consistency. (First batch: 2 tbsp cornstarch + 2 tbsp water. Second batch, if needed: 1 tbsp cornstarch + 1 tbsp water.) ⚠️ Tip: The starch sinks, so stir it before adding. Drizzle it in slowly while stirring to prevent clumps. The soup is thick enough when it coats the back of a spoon without running off immediately—too thick and it turns gluey. - Make the Egg Ribbons
Beat the egg and drizzle it in a thin stream in a circular motion. Wait 5 seconds before gently stirring with chopsticks to form the egg ribbons. ⚠️ Tip: Keep the heat low—a rolling boil will break the egg ribbons apart. Drizzle in a thin stream and wait a few seconds before stirring for delicate, beautiful ribbons. - Serve
Turn off the heat first, then add the remaining 1–1½ tbsp of Chinkiang vinegar. Drizzle with a few drops of sesame oil, and sprinkle with chopped scallion and cilantro. Serve hot—it’s tangy, spicy, and incredibly comforting. ⚠️ Tip: Add the vinegar after turning off the heat so the aroma doesn’t evaporate. Drizzle the sesame oil after turning off the heat to preserve its fragrance. You can add some cilantro while cooking for flavor and reserve the rest for garnish. For extra heat, sprinkle a little more white pepper on top.
💡 Tips:
Cut the tofu into chopstick-thick strips and soak them in lightly salted water for 5 minutes. Blanch and shred the wood ear mushrooms, and shred the carrot. Bring stock or water with minced ginger to a boil, simmer the mushrooms and carrots until softened and glossy, then reduce the heat and add the tofu—push gently with the back of a spatula. Add the soy sauce, vinegar, and white pepper. Add 2 tbsp of vinegar first, and the remaining 1–1½ tbsp after turning off the heat. Dissolve the white pepper in water first, and add salt at the end after tasting. Stir the starch slurry well and drizzle it in slowly while stirring—adding it in two batches makes the soup thicker and glossier (first batch: 2 tbsp starch + 2 tbsp water; second batch: 1 tbsp starch + 1 tbsp water). Drizzle the beaten egg in a thin stream, wait 5 seconds, then gently stir to form beautiful egg ribbons. Turn off the heat before adding the final vinegar and sesame oil, and garnish with scallion and cilantro. Done this way, it’s tangy, spicy, and packed with ingredients—a bowl that warms you up and satisfies you completely!
This Hot and Sour Soup is tangy, spicy, and full of ingredients—a comforting bowl that warms you up from the inside out. If you like quick and easy home-style soups, you can also try my previously posted Egg Drop Soup . For more nourishing soups, check out my soups category!
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