Tofu Hot & Sour Soup
Submitted by chefphil
Vegetarian tofu hot and sour soup with dried mushrooms, bamboo shoots, peas, and silken egg ribbons. A restaurant-style Chinese classic spiked with white pepper, vinegar, and sesame oil.
YIELD
4 servingsPREP
20 minCOOK
20 minREADY
40 minRestaurant hot and sour soup is often built on chicken broth, but this vegetarian version proves the dish hits just as hard on a vegetable stock base. Dried mushrooms do the heavy work, lending the same deep umami that meat would, plus their soaking water adds another layer of mushroom essence to the broth.
The hot in hot and sour is white pepper, not chili. That’s a critical distinction. White pepper has a hotter, more pungent bite than black pepper and is what gives authentic hot and sour soup its sneaky throat-warming finish. Half a teaspoon is the baseline. Bump up for serious heat.
The sour comes from white wine vinegar, balanced by a tablespoon of dry sherry that adds aromatic depth.
The egg drop is the showpiece. Beat one egg lightly and pour it slowly into the simmering soup while stirring continuously. The egg cooks instantly into delicate ribbons. Stop stirring and you get clumps. Pour too fast and you get scrambled eggs. Slow drizzle while stirring is the move.
Cornstarch slurry thickens the broth to the proper silky consistency. Mix cornstarch with cold water before adding (never hot, or it clumps), then stir into the simmering soup. The starch sets the texture in 30 seconds.
Tofu goes in diced for the protein. Use firm or extra-firm so it holds its shape in the broth.
Pro Tips
- Save the mushroom soaking water but pour it off carefully. The bottom often holds sand and grit from the dried mushrooms.
- Cut tofu into small cubes (half-inch or smaller). Bigger pieces feel out of proportion in the soup.
- Add the sesame oil at the very end off the heat. Heating sesame oil destroys the toasted aroma you want.
- Garnish with extra sliced scallions, fresh cilantro, or a few drops of chili oil for restaurant-style presentation.
Variations
- Add a half cup of wood ear mushrooms or shiitakes for additional fungal depth.
- Stir in finely shredded tofu and a beaten egg for a more luxurious texture.
- Top with chili crisp or a drizzle of chili oil for added heat alongside the white pepper warmth.
Ingredients
Directions
See vegetable stock recipe or use Vegetarian- style instant bouillon.
For each cup of vegetable stock specified in recipe, dissolve 1 teaspoon vegetable-flavored granules or 1 cube vegetable stock base in 1 cup boiling water.
Cut bamboo shoots in matchstick pieces, or ½ cup sliced water chestnuts.
Cut green onions into 1-inch diagonal slices.
Cover mushrooms with water and let stand for 30 minutes.
Remove mushrooms; cut off and discard stems.
Thinly slice mushrooms and set aside.
Measure soaking water (discard any sandy portion at the bottom) and add enough stock to make a total of 4 cups liquid.
Place in a 2-quart pan and add sherry, bamboo shoots, and sliced mushrooms.
Bring to a boil, then reduce heat; cover and simmer for 15 minutes.
Add tofu, peas, white vinegar, and soy; heat for 3 minutes.
In a small bowl, stir together cornstarch and the ¼ cup water.
Add to soup and cook, stirring, until slightly thickened.
Turn off heat.
Add pepper and sesame oil.
Stirring continuously, slowly pour egg into soup.
Sprinkle with onion; add salt to taste.
Makes four 1½ cup servings.
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