Hot and Sour Soup

Ingredients

• •6 cups low-sodium chicken or vegetable broth
• •200 g firm tofu, cut into thin strips
• •1/2 cup canned bamboo shoots, drained and cut into matchsticks
• •1/2 cup dried wood ear or shiitake mushrooms, soaked and thinly sliced
• •2 large eggs, beaten
• •3 tbsp rice vinegar
• •2 tbsp soy sauce
• •1 tsp white pepper
• •3 tbsp cornstarch mixed with 3 tbsp cold water
• •1 tsp sesame oil
• •2 stalks scallions, thinly sliced
• •to taste salt
• •to taste chili oil or white pepper, extra for serving

Directions

1. 1Soak dried mushrooms in hot water for 15 minutes; drain, squeeze dry, and slice thinly.
2. 2Bring broth to a boil in a large pot; add mushrooms, bamboo shoots, and tofu strips and simmer 5 minutes.
3. 3Stir in soy sauce, rice vinegar, and white pepper; taste and adjust — the soup should be noticeably sour and peppery.
4. 4Give the cornstarch slurry a stir and slowly pour it into the soup while stirring constantly; simmer 1–2 minutes until the soup thickens to a silky consistency.
5. 5Hold a fork over the pot and slowly pour the beaten eggs through the tines in a thin stream while stirring gently in one direction to create delicate egg ribbons.
6. 6Remove from heat immediately after eggs are just set, about 30 seconds.
7. 7Stir in sesame oil and taste once more for salt, vinegar, and pepper.
8. 8Ladle into bowls, top with scallions, and serve with extra chili oil or white pepper on the side.

💡 Dried wood ear mushrooms (also called black fungus) are in the Asian aisle of many Canadian grocery stores and at any Asian market; dried shiitakes are an easy swap and widely available everywhere. Canned bamboo shoots are a reliable pantry staple — rinse them well before using. For a fully vegetarian version, use vegetable broth.

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