Equally good on a hot summer day as on a cold wintery one, well made Hot and Sour Soup is a perfect example of balance in Chinese food. Heat, sharpness and sweetness should meld in equal harmony.
Preferably, you will use Chinese black vinegar - if you are not able to find some (or are too lazy to get some!), you can use a combination of red wine vinegar and balsamic vinegar: (1 tablespoon red wine vinegar plus 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar ). If not hot enough for your taste, add more white pepper. White pepper is preferred to black pepper in Chinese cooking because it imparts not only heat but fragrance.
Go the extra distance and make with home made chicken stock rather than canned broth. The flavorful reward in this dish will be worth it.
INGREDIENTS
7 oz square firm or extra-firm tofu , drained (½ package, usually)
4 tbsp. soy sauce (Chinese style, preferred)
1 tsp. toasted sesame oil
3 tbso, cornstarch , plus an additional 1 1/2 teaspoons
6 oz. pork, trimmed of fat and cut into matchsticks (pork butt or meat from a pork chop are fine)
3 tbsp. cold water , plus 1 additional teaspoon
1 large egg
3 pints chicken stock
1 cup bamboo shoots ( one 5-ounce can), sliced lengthwise into 1/8-inch-thick strips
4 ounces fresh shiitake mushrooms , stems removed, caps sliced 1/4 inch thick (about 1 cup)
5 tbsp. black Chinese vinegar
2 tsp. chili oil (see note above)
1 tsp. ground white pepper
3 medium scallions , sliced thin
PREPARATION
- To remove excess moisture from tofu, put the square of tofu on a deep plate with a heavy plate on top, weighted down by a coupld of heavy cans. Let it stand for 15 minute or until the tofu has release about 4 ounces of water.
- Whisk 1 tablespoon soy sauce, sesame oil, and 1 teaspoon cornstarch in a bowl; toss pork with marinade and set aside for at least 10 minutes (but no more than 30 minutes).
- Combine 3 tablespoons cornstarch with 3 tablespoons water in a bowl and mix thoroughly. Set aside.
- Mix remaining 1/2 teaspoon cornstarch with remaining 1 teaspoon water in small bowl; add egg and beat with fork until combined. Set aside.
- Bring broth to boil in large saucepan set over medium-high heat. Reduce heat to medium-low and add bamboo shoots and mushrooms - simmer until mushrooms are just tender, about 5 minutes. While broth simmers, dice tofu into 1/2-inch cubes.
- Add tofu and pork (including marinade) to soup - give a good stir. Simmer 2 minutes until pork is cooked (2-3 minutes).
- Stir cornstarch mixture again to recombine and add to soup. Increase heat to medium-high; cook, stirring occasionally, until soup thickens and turns translucent, about 1 minute. Stir in vinegar, chili oil, pepper, and remaining 3 tablespoons soy sauce; turn off heat.
- Without stirring soup, use soupspoon to slowly drizzle very thin streams of egg mixture into pot in circular motion. Let soup sit 1 minute, then return saucepan to medium-high heat. Bring soup to gentle boil, then immediately remove from heat. Gently stir soup once to evenly distribute egg; ladle into bowls and top with scallions.
