A classic Chinese hot and sour soup — a tangy, peppery broth with tofu, mushrooms, wood ear and pork, thickened and swirled with egg. Warming and full of flavour.
Hot and sour soup is a Chinese restaurant favourite you can master at home — a warming, savoury broth balancing fiery white pepper against tangy vinegar, full of silky tofu, mushrooms and tender pork. The egg ribbons and that signature peppery-sour kick make it deeply satisfying. It's quick, soothing and brilliant when you're under the weather.
Prep 15 min
Cook 15 min
Total 30 min
Easy
- 1/3 cup Mushrooms
- 1/3 cup Wood Ear Mushrooms
- 2/3 Cup Tofu
- 1/2 cup Pork
- 2-1/2 cups Chicken Stock
- 1/2 tsp Salt
- 1/4 tsp Sugar
- 1 tsp Sesame Seed Oil
- 1/4 tsp Pepper
- 1/2 tsp Hotsauce
- 1-½ cups Vinegar
- 1 tsp Soy Sauce
- 1 tbs Cornstarch
- 2 tbs Water
- 1/4 cup Spring Onions
Tags:
SoupVideo
Preparation
- Add the chicken broth to a wok and bring to the boil.
- Add the salt, sugar, sesame oil, white pepper, hot pepper sauce, vinegar and soy sauce, and stir for a few seconds.
- Add the tofu, mushrooms and wood ear mushrooms.
- To thicken, whisk together 1 tbsp cornstarch and 2 tbsp water and slowly add to the soup until it reaches the right thickness.
- Slowly pour in 1 slightly beaten egg, stirring for 8 seconds.
- Serve in bowls topped with the BBQ pork and sliced spring onions.
Tips from the ZestyPlate Kitchen
- Balance the hot and the sour to taste at the end — add more vinegar or pepper until it sings.
- Wood ear mushrooms add the classic slippery-crunchy texture, so seek them out if you can.
- Add the cornstarch slurry gradually until the soup is silky, not gloopy.
- Pour the beaten egg in a slow, thin stream while stirring for delicate ribbons.
Frequently Asked Questions
From vinegar — usually black or rice vinegar — added at the end. The 'hot' comes mainly from white pepper rather than chilli, giving a distinctive warmth.
Yes — use vegetable stock, skip the pork, and add extra tofu and mushrooms. It's just as satisfying.
They're a dark, crinkly mushroom prized for their springy, slightly crunchy texture rather than strong flavour. Dried ones rehydrate in warm water.
Too much cornstarch was added. Add the slurry slowly and stop when the soup is lightly thickened and silky, not thick like gravy.
