Simple Hot and Sour Soup

Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 20 min
Servings: 4
Yield: 4 servings

Description

Tofu, bamboo shoots, mushrooms, and ham are simmered together and topped with eggs in this simple hot and sour soup, a classic Chinese dish.

Ingredients

1 3/4 ounces dried shiitake mushrooms
1 ounce dried cloud ear mushrooms
1/2 (12 ounce) package silken tofu, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
1 (8 ounce) can bamboo shoots, cut into thin matchstick-size pieces
2 teaspoons vinegar
1 teaspoon ground white pepper
10 fluid ounces chicken stock
2 ounces cooked ham, thinly sliced
1 teaspoon soy sauce
1 teaspoon Shaoxing cooking wine
salt to taste
2 teaspoons corn flour
2 teaspoons water
2 eggs, beaten
1 teaspoon sesame oil

Directions

1 Place shiitake mushrooms and cloud ear mushrooms in a bowl of water; soak until softened, about 30 minutes. Drain and finely chop the mushrooms.
2 Bring a pot of water to a boil; add tofu and cook for 1 minute. Remove using a slotted spoon and place in a bowl. Bring water back to a boil and add bamboo shoots; cook for 1 minute. Drain and set bamboo shoots aside.
3 Mix vinegar and white pepper together in a bowl.
4 Bring chicken stock to a boil in a large saucepan. Add bamboo shoots, mushrooms, and ham; return to a boil. Add tofu, soy sauce, Shaoxing wine, and salt; bring back to a boil.
5 Mix corn flour and water together in a bowl until dissolved; stir into chicken stock mixture until soup starts to thicken. Drizzle beaten eggs into soup, stirring gently to form cooked egg clumps, 2 to 3 minutes.
6 Stir vinegar-pepper mixture into soup and drizzle in sesame oil.