Chinese Takeout Hot and Sour Soup Recipe

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Chinese Takeout Hot and Sour Soup Recipe Document

Recipe

Chinese Takeout Hot and Sour Soup Recipe

Ingredients:

4 oz. (170 grams) pork loin or chicken breast slivers, marinated 

⅛ (0.75 g) tsp salt

⅛ (0.5 g) tsp sugar

¼ (1.25 ml) tsp light soy sauce

½ (2.5 ml) tsp Shaoxing cooking wine

¼ (0.66 g) tsp cornstarch

½ (2.5 ml) tsp neutral oil

6 cups (1420 ml) Asian chicken broth (preferably made from Chinese chicken bouillon powder, use some Shiitake mushroom soaking liquid, if available)

2 (12 grams) tsp salt

½ (2 grams) tsp sugar

1 tbsp (15 ml) Chinese light soy sauce

1 tsp (5 ml) Chinese dark soy sauce (preferably dark mushroom soy sauce)

4-6 pieces (6 grams dry weight) dried black fungus (Chinese wood ear mushrooms), rehydrated

4-6 small (16-24 grams dry weight) dried Shiitake mushrooms, rehydrated (reserve soaking liquid for broth)

20 (9 grams dry weight) dried daylily buds, rehydrated

1 tsp (4.75 grams) ginger, grated

½ cup (56 grams) bamboo shoot slices

4 oz. (112 grams) tofu, preferably firm

½ cup (40 grams) carrots, julienne

Cornstarch slurry: 5 tbsp (40 grams) cornstarch + 5 tbsp (75 ml) water

1 large egg beaten with 1 tsp water

3 tbsp (45 ml) Chinese black vinegar (also known as Chinkiang, Zhenjiang) 

1 tsp (2.4 grams) ground white pepper

1 tsp (5 ml) toasted sesame oil

Directions:

1. Cut pork or chicken into slivers and mix in marinade ingredients. Marinate meat for 20-60 minutes, or up to overnight
2. Rehydrate the black fungus and Shiitake mushrooms by pouring boiling water over them for 30-60 minutes. After soaking, remove the black fungus from liquid, cut off the tough end, and slice into slivers, set aside.
3. Remove the Shiitake mushrooms from the soaking liquid, reserving the liquid for the broth. Cut off the stems and discard. Then slice the Shiitake into small pieces and set aside. 
4. Pour cool water over the daylilies and soak for 20-30 minutes. Pour out the water and cut the tough end off. Cut or tear the daylilies in half lengthwise. Set aside. 
5. Bring a large pot of water to a simmer and add the pork or chicken to water. Cook for 1-3 minutes, or until the protein is cooked through. Remove and set aside. 
6. Add the bamboo shoots to the simmering water and cook for 1 minute (this will remove some of the off flavors). Remove and set aside. 
7. Make the cornstarch slurry and set aside.
8. Add ¼ tsp cornstarch and 1 tsp water to a small cup and beat in 1 egg until homogenous, set aside. 
9. Mix vinegar, white pepper, and toasted sesame oil into a small cup and set aside.
10. Add the chicken broth to a large pot and heat over medium heat until hot. 
11. Season the broth with sugar, salt, light soy sauce, and dark soy sauce. Taste for seasoning and adjust, if necessary. 
12. Whisk in the grated ginger to the broth. 
13. Add the pork or chicken, both mushrooms, daylilies, carrots, bamboo shoots, and tofu to the broth and heat through. 
14. Whisk the cornstarch slurry to make sure it hasn’t settled and slowly add it to the lightly simmering broth. Allow the slurry to thicken the broth for 1-2 minutes, then lower the heat slightly to just under a simmer. 
15. Slowly drizzle in the egg and let it set for about 1 minute. Then stir the broth to mix in the egg.
16. Turn off the heat and stir in the vinegar, white pepper, and sesame oil. Check for final seasoning.

Note: The soup will lose some flavor the longer it sits. So, you may need to add a bit more vinegar, white pepper, and sesame oil to each serving if reheating.

Ingredients Affiliate Links:

Lee Kum Kee Asian Chicken Bouillon: https://geni.us/3YwfBXM

Knorr Asian Chicken Bouillon: https://geni.us/XGEna

Jin Shan Chinese Black Vinegar: https://geni.us/VNVK23

Gold Plum Chinese Black Vinegar: https://geni.us/gTApiFY

Dried Black Fungus: https://geni.us/THfAs

Dried Shiitake Mushrooms: https://geni.us/7nGkQ

Dried Daylily Buds: https://geni.us/BeFM

Bamboo Shoot Strips: https://geni.us/jQoQCIC

White Pepper: https://geni.us/ZMEiegw

Lee Kum Kee Light Soy Sauce: https://geni.us/nFPBom1

Pearl River Bridge Light Soy Sauce: https://geni.us/LYmZYM

Lee Kum Kee Mushroom Dark Soy Sauce: https://geni.us/GB3ZJo

Pearl River Bridge Mushroom Dark Soy Sauce: https://geni.us/BMEzu5

Shaoxing Rice Wine: https://geni.us/ykU60vK

Toasted Sesame Oil: https://geni.us/CgcpNw

Cornstarch: https://geni.us/NTH4v4

Morton’s Table Salt: https://geni.us/ZkqtN

Sugar: https://geni.us/eoYr

White vinegar: https://geni.us/y0uABJ

Vegetable Oil: https://geni.us/Cvt2u

Affiliate disclosure: As an Amazon Associate, Jason Farmer may earn commissions from qualifying purchases from amazon.com