Chinese Hot and Sour Soup (酸辣湯) - Oh My Food Recipes (2024)

Hot and sour soup (酸辣湯) is a popular soup among Chinese restaurants in the states. If you are a soup lover, you can check out these sweet corn carrot soup, tomato potato soup, kimchi tofu soup, miso soup, gobo root soup and dried bok choy soup recipes. This low calories, authentic and easy Chinese hot and sour soup recipe is a must try one! Besides, it is great to go with ham fried rice, orange chicken, kung pao chicken, , zucchini mushroom chicken and mapo tofu to make your Chinese dinner. Let's learn how to make hot and sour soup with step by step photos and a video.

Love Asian food? Check out these ginger scallion crab, garlic chili shrimp, green Thai curry, wonton noodle soup, Chinese hot dog and lo mai gai recipes.

What is hot and sour soup (酸辣湯)?

Hot and sour soup (酸辣湯) is a popular Chinese dish and originated from northern part of China, Sichuan. Also, hot and sour soup is well known for its spicy, tangy and savory flavor. The soup gets its "hot" element from the addition of chili peppers or chili sauce which gives a spicy kick. Besides, the "sour" flavor comes from the black vinegar which adds tanginess to the soup.

Authentic Chinese hot and sour soup usually contains broth, black vinegar, soy sauce, mushrooms, bamboo shoots, tofu, and various spices. And, the soup is thickened with cornstarch slurry, which gives it a slightly thick consistency. Hot and sour soup is often served hot and as an appetizer or part of a meal with other dishes.

Also, hot and sour soup helps with digestion and increases appetite. Hence, when people don’t have much appetite, they will drink this soup. When I was pregnant, I wasn’t feeling well because of the morning sickness. The only thing I craved was this hot and sour soup!

What does hot and sour soup taste like?

Chinese hot and sour soup has a distinctive flavor. In general, it is spicy, tangy, bold and full of umami flavor. The taste can vary slightly depending on the recipe and individual preferences. The level of spiciness can be adjusted depending on the amount of chili peppers or chili sauce you add.

What makes this Chinese hot and sour soup authentic and good?

To make good authentic Chinese hot and sour soup the key elements are balance of flavors, ingredients, seasonings, texture and consistency. The spiciness should have a noticeable kick without overwhelming the other flavors and the sourness should be tangy without being overly acidic. Authentic hot and sour soup often uses dried shiitake mushrooms and soy sauce to enhance the umami flavors. These ingredients contribute a depth and complexity to the soup's flavor.

Besides, I like to use tofu, wood ear mushrooms and bamboo shoots which adds an extra layer of texture to the soup.In addition, the cornstarch slurry thickens the soup and binds the flavors together.

What to serve with hot and sour soup?

Hot and sour soup goes well with a variety of dishes because of its bold flavors. The common options to serve alongside hot and sour soup are rice, fried rice, noodles, dumplings, pan fried buns, cashew shrimp, orange chicken, kung pao chicken, beef broccoli, , egg rolls and Vietnamese spring rolls.

What are the ingredients in hot and sour soup (酸辣湯)?

In general, authentic Chinese hot and sour soup usually contains wood ear mushrooms, bamboo shoots, tofu, and black dry Chinese mushrooms. Some like to add meat and egg. However, I like this easy hot sour soup recipe without meat and egg like a vegetarian style.

Is hot and sour soup vegetarian?

Hot and sour soup can be made vegetarian or vegan depending on the specific recipe and ingredients used. Some like to add meat and egg. However, in this authentic Chinese hot and sour soup recipe, I prefer to keep it vegetarian style that not adding egg and meat.

What are the dark things in hot and sour soup?

The dark things you may find in hot and sour soup is black fungus, also known as wood ear mushrooms. These mushrooms have a dark and black appearance. It’s crunchy in texture and adds a unique earthy flavor to the soup. Wood ear is a species of edible fungi or mushroom type. They are distinguished by its noticeably ear-like shape and brownish color. Moreover, it grows on wood. Therefore, it was named wood ear.

Not only wood ear fungus is a popular ingredient in many Chinese dishes, but also it has some health benefits such as anti-tumor, hypoglycemic, anticoagulant and cholesterol lowering properties. Generally, wood ear fungus are in dry form and require soaking before using it.

Cooking tips for how to make Chinese hot and sour soup:

• Wash and soak black Chinese mushrooms and wood ear mushrooms a few hours before. (Black Chinese mushrooms take a little longer. Normally, I will soak them before I go to bed, so I can use them in the morning or so.)
• Remember to add garlic chili sauce to your taste. I suggest adding ½ tablespoons at a time.
• I use firm tofu because it does not break easily when stirred.

FAQs:

Instructions for how to make hot and sour soup:

Preparation:

1. Wash and soak 3 medium sized black Chinese mushrooms for 4-6 hours before. (Black Chinese mushrooms take a little longer. Therefore, I will soak them before I go to bed, so I can use them in the morning or so.)

2. Then, wash and soak 12 small dried wood ear mushrooms for a couple hours. (Normally, I will soak them before I go to bed. So, I can use them in the morning or so.)

3. After that, cut soaked black Chinese mushrooms into small strips.

4. Next, cut the soaked wood ear fungus into small strips.

5. Cut 1 pieces of firm tofu into small strips.

6. A can of 8 oz bamboo shoots cut into small strips.

7. Cut 2 sticks of green onion.

Cooking:

8. Pour 4 cups chicken broth and 2 cups water into a pot and turn on fire to medium-high.

9. Add the cut Chinese black mushrooms and wood ear mushrooms into the broth.

10. The following, add the bamboo shoots into the broth. Let it cook until it's boiling.

11. When it's boiling, add 1.5 tablespoons of garlic chili sauce, 2.5 tablespoons of black vinegar, ⅛ teaspoon of salt, and 1 tablespoon of soy sauce. Then, mix it well.

12. After, add the cut firm tofu strips.

13. At the same time, in a small container add 5 tablespoons of water and 4 tablespoons of cornstarch and mix it well.

14. When the soup boils again, add cornstarch mixture to thicken the soup a little bit.

15. Sprinkle some green onions on top. If you like, you can add white pepper and sesame oil. This is optional.

Enjoy this delicious, authentic and easy homemade Chinese hot and sour soup recipe! Also, check out these mango pomelo sago, black sesame soup, Chinese borscht soup, lotus roots pork soup, green radish carrot soup, watercress soup and dried bok choy soup recipes.

You May Also Like These Recipes:

• WONTON SOUP (雲吞湯)
• GINSENG CHICKEN SOUP (SAMGYETANG)삼계탕蔘鷄湯
• KIMCHI TOFU SOUP (SUNDUBU-JJIGAE)
• MISO SOUP

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