Hot & Sour Soup: A Blast From The Past

Hot & Sour Soup

Ingredients

• 125 ml (1/2-cup) chopped scallions to garnish

For The Broth

• 2 yellow onions, peeled and roughly chopped
• 2 knobs of fresh ginger, peeled and sliced
• 375 ml (1-1/2 cup) rice wine vinegar
• 4-6 hot, red, dried chili peppers (if possible, save the bone to add to the broth)
• 10-12 garlic cloves, peeled and crushed
• 1-2 whole star anise (not a tragedy if you omit, but a delightful augmentation to the taste layers if you do. Available at the market.)

For The Soup

• 350 g (12 oz) Firm or extra firm tofu
• 2-3 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
• 75 ml (1/3-cup) cornstarch (this will be used in different doses while you assemble the soup.)
• 1 egg
• 75 ml (5 Tbl) soy sauce
• 45 ml (3 Tbl) sesame oil
• 45 ml (3 Tbl) black chinese vinegar (available at Perekrostok Zelyoni – if you can’t find this, America’s Test Kitchen suggests a substitution of a combination of balsamic vinegar and red wine vinegar)
• 375 ml (1-1/2 cup) fresh mushrooms, slivered (shitake mushrooms are best, but you can use any fresh mushrooms available, or reconstitute dried mushrooms)
• 5 ml (1 tsp) white peppercorns, ground
• 10 ml (2 tsp) chili oil
• cold water

Directions

1. Make the stock: in a large, heavy-bottomed soup pot, combine the stock, vinegar, chopped onions, pork chop bones, garlic and bring to a boil over medium heat.
2. When the broth is boiling, add the ginger, chili peppers, peppercorns, and star anise. Let the broth come to a boil again, then reduce the heat until the soup is gently simmering. Cook, uncovered for 15-20 minutes.
3. Drain the broth into a clean soup pot through a fine mesh sieve or a colander with cheesecloth over it. Set aside. You can make this ahead of time. Allow to come to room temperature before refrigerating, covered.
4. Set the tofu on a plate and place a flat surface such as a cutting board or flat plate on top of it. Weight the flat surface down with tins or any heavy object. Set this aside and let sit for about 20 minutes. The tofu will release about 125 ml of liquid, making it firmer and less likely to dissolve in the soup.
5. Place the chicken breasts and pork chop into the freezer for about 15 minutes, then use a sharp knife to slice the meat into 1 inch long, 1/8 inch thick (3 cm long, 3 mm thick) matchsticks.
6. Whisk 1 Tablespoon (15 ml) of soy sauce, sesame oil, and 2 teaspoons (10 ml) of cornstarch together in a medium sized mixing bowl. Toss the chicken and pork matchsticks to “velvet” the meat. Set aside for at least 10 minutes.
7. Drain the bamboo shoots and rinse in cold water. You may want to slice them in half to make for easier eating.
8. Prepare two small bowls: 3 Tablespoons (45 ml) of both cornstarch and cold water. Mix to combine. 1-1/2 teaspoons (7 ml) of cornstarch and 3 teaspoons of water. Mix thoroughly to combine, then add the egg and whisk to combine. Set aside.
9. Bring the prepared broth to a simmer over medium heat. Reduce heat to the gentlest of simmers, then add the bamboo shoots, mushrooms and cook for 7 minutes. Dice the tofu into 1/2-inch cubes, then add it and the marinated pork and chicken. Cook for 2-3 minutes until the pork turns from pink to beige.
10. Stir the water/cornstarch combination to ensure it is fully mixed, then add to the soup. Raise heat and stir as the broth thickens, taking on a more opaque shade. Stir in the vinegar, chili oil, white pepper and remaining soy sauce. Remove soup from heat.
11. Allow the soup to become still, then slowly and carefully drizzle streams of the egg, cornstarch and water solution over the surface of the soup. When finished, allow the soup to sit for a moment, then return to heat and bring the soup to a simmer. Remove from the heat, then stir to cut up the egg.

Serve with fresh scallions.