This classic Chinese Hot and Sour Soup recipe is an easy make-at-home version that is truly Restaurant worthy! Bold flavours, crunchy vegetables and chicken, this soup is a family favourite.
Prep Time20mins
Cook Time25mins
Chicken Broth3hrs
Total Time45mins
Course: Appetizer, Soup
Cuisine: Chinese, Pakistani-Chinese
Servings: 6
Author: Hirra Pervaiz
Ingredients
For the Chicken
4ozChicken Thighs (or breast pieces)skinless and boneless
1tspSalt
Water
For The Soup
6CupsChicken Brothsee Notes
1CupShredded Chicken
1/2CupCarrotjulienne
1/2CupCabbagejulienne
2TbspSoy Sauce
1TbspRed Chili sauce with garlic
2tspWhite Pepper groundor to taste
1tspBlack Pepper crushedor to taste
4TbspWhite Vinegaror Rice Vinegar
Salt to taste
3TbspCornflour
1/4cup Water
1Eggwhisked
Spring Onionssliced
Instructions
Prepare the Chicken
Place the chicken thighs (or chicken breasts) in a pot and season with salt. Add enough water (approx 2 inches above meat) and bring to boil. Reduce heat and simmer until chicken is cooked. Remove the chicken from water and let rest until it is cool enough to handle. Shred the chicken and set aside.
Tip: An easy way to shredchicken is with a hand mixer! Place the chicken in a mixing bowl, and use a hand mixer on low speed to break the chicken into shreds.
Prepare The Soup
In a pot bring Chicken broth to a boil. Stir in the shredded chicken, soy sauce and chilli and garlic sauce. Reduce heat and simmer.
Add the carrot, cabbage, white pepper, black pepper crushed, salt and white vinegar. Bring soup to a simmer. Do a taste check and adjust seasoning
Combine the 3 Tbsp cornstarch with ¼ cup water to make a slurry, making sure it is well-combined.
Slowly swirl 3/4 of the cornflour slurry to the soup while stirring the soup simultaneously. Keep stirring until soup comes to a simmer again. Check the consistency of the soup, it should be thick enough to cover the back of the spoon. Add the remaining slurry for a thicker consistency.
Once the soup is to according to the desired consistency, taste check and adjust the seasoning. Add more white pepper to make it hot and more vinegar to make it sour.
Keep the soup simmering, it should be bubbling. Slowly swirl the whisked egg into the soup, wait for a few seconds and then slowly stir for those beautiful egg swirls.
Garnish your hot and sour soup with spring onions and serve with crackers, bread sticks or croutons.
Soup Dress-up Sauces
For Red Chili Sauce: 1 tsp red Chili powder, 1/4 cup white vinegar and a pinch of salt. Mix all these ingredients together for the sauce.
For Green Chili & Vinegar: 2 Green Chilies, sliced, 1/4 cup white vinegar. Add green chilies to vinegar to serve with the soup.
Notes
To Make Chicken Broth: In a heavy pot add 1 Chicken Carcass, 2 medium onions, quartered, 8-10 garlic cloves, 2-inch piece of ginger cut into coins, 2 green onions, 15 black peppercorns, 2 bay leaves and 10 cups (2.5 quarts) of water. Bring it to a boil and let simmer for around 2-3 hours. Once it has cooled strain the broth for the soup.Crunchy Vegetables: To keep the vegetables in the soup crunchy, don't cook for too longVariations: you can use any vegetable or protein you like in this soup, some suggestions, bean sprouts, capsicum, mushrooms, sweetcorn, tofu, beef or shrimps.Make it Vegetarian: For a vegetarian version simply replace the chicken broth with vegetable broth and omit chicken and egg. Tofu makes a delicious alternative in hot and sour soup.Reheating the Soup: To reheat the soup, add some warm water to it and mix well. Re-heat hot and sour soup in a pan on the stove or in a microwave-safe bowl in the microwave until warmed through.Storing the Soup: Soup can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for 2-3 daysFreezing the Soup: You can freeze the soup for up to 1 month in an airtight container in a half-done state. That is before cornflour or egg is added. When needed take out from the freezer, thaw and heat. Add the cornflour slurry to thicken, whisked egg for egg swirls and serve.