Hot and sour soup, also called hot and spicy soup,  is a staple in our house-odd as it may seem. It is my favorite soup, but for many it’s an acquired taste. With the exception of sodium, it is quite healthy. It has a broth and vinegar base, veggies, tofu, and lean meat with lots of heat. This soup is easy to make vegetarian, and we have done this in the past as well as made it with shrimp.

We made this for supper tonight with homemade eggrolls and Chinese dumplings. I am excited that there’s leftovers for tomorrow! As usual, I don’t use a recipe so you need to taste it as you go. This soup is by preference anyway; some like it sweeter, more sour, less vinegar, thicker, hotter or milder. I like a severe kick in my mouth, all the way down.

Amend as you see fit.

Hot Sour Soup Recipe

One box chicken stock

3 slivered chicken breasts or pork chops

1 box mushrooms (any kind) sliced

6 dried tree ear mushrooms (reconstituted)

1 can bamboo shoots

3 green onions sliced thin/small

Tofu (as much or little as you like) cubed small

4 TBLS white distilled vinegar ( I use more vinegar and taste as I go)

2 TBLS sugar

3 TBLS soy sauce

1/2 tsp white pepper (This is a critical ingredient. Do NOT use any other pepper, as it won’t taste right)

Dash of garlic powder, onion powder, ginger powder, chili paste if you have it

2 eggs, raw/scrambled

2 TBLS corn starch

1 TBLS sesame oil

1TBLS veg. oil

Brown chicken or pork in the mixed oils until cooked. Add stock and bring to a boil. Add remaining ingredients, except egg and corn starch. Cook veggies about 10 minutes and allow soup to flavor. While rolling boil, add scrambled eggs while stirring. Next, mix corn starch with a little cold water to make thickener, then add to soup. Keep tasting and adding items needed: vinegar, sugar, white pepper are the usual culprits.