Love Chinese hot and sour soup, but hate the gloopy texture in restaurants? Why not make your own with a simple homemade broth, tender-crisp vegetables and silky egg ribbons? Makes a great appetizer or light meal.
You will need:
For chicken broth,
Sesame oil - 2 tbsp
Onion - 1, roughly chopped
Ginger - 2" knob, roughly chopped
Garlic - 2-3 cloves, crushed
Water - 6 cups
Chicken thighs - 2, bone-in
Cilantro - a few stalks
Salt - 2 tsp
White pepper powder - ½ tsp
Cumin powder - 1 tsp
For hot & sour soup,
Sesame oil - 1 tbsp
Green onions - 3, chopped
Garlic - 1 clove, thinly sliced
Carrots - 2, julienned
Green beans - 6-8, thinly sliced
Chili sauce - 2 tbsp (or to taste)
Soy sauce - 1 tbsp
Rice vinegar - 2 tbsp
Corn starch - 2 tsp
Eggs - 2, whisked
Salt - to taste
White pepper powder - to taste
How to:
Broth: Take a large soup pot or pressure cooker and heat oil. Add onions, ginger and garlic and saute till fragrant.
Add the rest of the ingredients and stir well. Cover and cook till chicken is fall-off-the-bone tender. If you are using a covered soup pot, it will take at least 30 minutes. I used a pressure cooker and cooked for 3 whistles on high heat, which was faster.
Strain broth and set aside. Shred chicken and set aside. Discard the rest of the aromatics and bones.
Soup: Heat oil in a soup pot. Add green onions and garlic and saute for a few seconds.
Add vegetables and cook till tender-crisp, 5-6 minutes.
Add chili sauce, soy sauce, rice vinegar and broth. Allow to come to a boil.
Dissolve corn starch in a few tablespoons of water and add to the soup. Cook for a few minutes till slightly thickened.
With the soup on a slight boil, slowly drizzle in the whisked eggs. Add the shredded chicken. Taste and adjust seasoning.
Serve hot along with Ling Ling Asian Dumplings.
Notes:
1. You can chicken stock instead of homemade chicken broth. 2. Adjust soy sauce, vinegar and pepper as per taste. 3. If you do not have rice vinegar, use white vinegar instead.
Recipe by At The Corner of Happy And Harried at https://www.happyandharried.com/2017/11/02/chinese-hot-sour-soup/