Sizzling Rice Hot & Sour Soup
Submitted by mimmy
Sizzling rice hot and sour soup with chicken, dried mushrooms, bamboo shoots, and crispy fried rice crusts dropped tableside for a dramatic sizzle. Includes homemade rice crust instructions.
YIELD
4 servingsPREP
30 minCOOK
35 minREADY
90 minThe showstopper here isn’t the soup itself, though it’s loaded with tang from rice vinegar and heat from white pepper and hot sauce. It’s the moment you slide those puffed, crackling rice crusts into the hot broth at the table and the whole thing erupts in a loud, fragrant sizzle.
Dried black trumpet mushrooms bring an earthy depth you won’t get from fresh button mushrooms. Soaking them for a full 30 minutes is a must so they rehydrate completely and release their flavor into the broth.
The egg goes in off the heat, drizzled in slowly while you stir. That’s how you get those silky ribbons instead of scrambled clumps.
You can find rice crusts at Chinese grocery stores, but the recipe includes instructions for making your own from scratch. Homemade crusts keep in an airtight container for up to six months, so make a big batch.
Pro Tips
- The soup and the rice crusts must both be extremely hot for the sizzle to work. Warm soup won’t cut it.
- Fry the rice crusts in small batches. They puff in seconds and burn just as fast.
- White pepper gives a different heat than black pepper. It’s sharper and more nasal. Don’t substitute.
- Adjust the vinegar to your taste. More vinegar means more sour, less means the heat takes over.
Variations
- Swap chicken for firm tofu strips for a vegetarian version (use vegetable broth too).
- Add shredded wood ear mushrooms and sliced tofu for a more traditional Chinese restaurant style.
- Stir in a drizzle of sesame oil right before serving for a nutty finish.
Ingredients
Directions
Soak mushrooms in warm water to cover for 30 minutes; drain.
Cut off and discard stems and thinly slice caps.
Set aside.
Bring broth to a boil over medium-high heat in a large pot.
Add chicken and cook, stirring occasionally, for 3 minutes.
Stir in mushrooms, bamboo shoots, vinegar, soy sauce, green onion, cilantro, hot pepper sauce, salt, and white pepper.
Return to a boil.
Add cornstarch solution and cook, stirring, until soup thickens slightly.
Remove pot from heat and slowly drizzle in egg, stirring constantly.
Keep warm while preparing rice crusts.
Set wok in a ring stand and add oil to a depth of about 2 inches.
Over high heat, bring oil to 375℉ (190℃). Add rice crusts, half at a time, and cook, turning constantly, for 15 seconds or until puffed.
Lift out and drain on paper towels.
Cook remaining crusts.
Put hot soup into a warmed serving bowl and carry to the table.
Bring hot fried rice crusts to the table and carefully slide into the soup.
TIP: Look for rice crusts in Chinese market.
To make your own crusts: To Make Rice Crusts, combine 1 cup of medium or short-grained rice and 1 cup water in a medium saucepan.
Cover and bring to a boil over high heat.
Reduce heat to low and simmer for 25 minutes.
Turn off heat and let stand for 5 minutes.
Spread cooked rice in a ¼ inch thick layer on a greased, shallow baking pan.
Cut into 1½ to 2 inch squares with a wet knife.
Bake in a 350℉ (180℃) oven for 50 minutes or until rice squares are firm and dry.
Store rice crusts in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 6 months.
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