Chinese Hot and Sour Soup
Author: 
Recipe type: Soup
Cuisine: Chinese
Prep time: 
Cook time: 
Total time: 
Serves: 3-4 servings
 
Celebrate Chinese New Year with hot and sour soup filled with soft tofu, lily flowers, mushrooms, bamboo shoots, and cloud ear fungus. This soup is delicious and easy to make, great for a cold winter day.
Ingredients
  • 4 cups vegetable broth/chicken broth
  • ⅓ cup dried lily flowers
  • ⅓ cup dried cloud ear fungus (black fungus)
  • ½ cup bamboo shoot strips, drained
  • ⅓ cup shiitake mushroom, sliced
  • ½ bag of pickled spicy radish (about 50 grams)
  • 3 tablespoons white vinegar
  • 2 ½ teaspoons granulated sugar
  • 1 teaspoon salt, more to taste
  • 1 teaspoon chili oil
  • ½ package soft tofu, cubed
  • 1 large egg, beaten
  • Crushed red pepper for garnish
  • Scallions or green onions for garnish
Directions:
  1. Soak the lily flowers and cloud ear fungus in warm water for about 20 minutes. If using dried shiitake mushrooms, soak those too. Once they have softened, cut the ends on the lily flowers, chop up the cloud ear fungus, and slice the shiitake mushrooms.
  2. In a medium sized pot, heat the broth over medium to high heat until it begins to boil.
  3. Once the broth has boiled, add the lily flowers, cloud ear fungus, shiitake mushrooms, and pickled radish. Stir to evenly incorporate these ingredients, and allow them to cook for a few minutes.
  4. Now, add the white vinegar, granulated sugar, salt, and chili oil. Stir to evenly combine the seasoning with the soup. Adjust the flavor of the soup to taste.
  5. Add the soft tofu, and slowly pour the beaten egg into the soup, stirring as you pour.
  6. Serve the soup warm topped with crushed red pepper and chopped scallions or green onions.
Notes
*To make this soup vegan, omit the beaten egg.
**To thicken the soup, whisk together 1 teaspoon cornstarch and 1 tablespoon water. Slowly add this mixture to the soup at the end, stirring as you add to avoid clumps.
Recipe by Cooking with a Wallflower at https://cookingwithawallflower.com/2015/02/09/chinese-hot-sour-soup/