Old Beijing Hot and Sour Soup
A traditional Beijing soup, tangy and spicy, full of flavors, perfect for warming up in cold winter.
Ingredients
14 items- Silken tofu 200g
- Dried black fungus 10g
- Carrot 30g
- Egg 1
- Broth or water 800ml
- Black vinegar 3 tbsp
- Ground white pepper 1 tsp
- Light soy sauce 1 tbsp
- Salt 1/2 tsp
- Cornstarch 2 tbsp
- Sesame oil 1 tsp
- Coriander (cilantro) a small bunch
- Ginger 1 small piece
- Spring onion 1
Nutrition
Steps （8 steps）
Cut the silken tofu into thin strips, soak and shred the dried fungus, shred the carrot, julienne the ginger, chop the spring onion, and beat the egg. Aim for uniform strips for even cooking.
Pour the broth or water into a pot, add the ginger shreds, and bring to a boil over high heat.
Once boiling, add the tofu, fungus, and carrot strips. Reduce to medium heat and cook for 3 minutes until tender and the flavors meld.
Season with light soy sauce and salt. Re-stir the cornstarch slurry, then turn the heat to high and pour in the slurry while stirring quickly until the soup thickens enough to coat the back of a spoon.
Keeping the heat high, slowly pour the beaten egg into the soup along the chopsticks to form delicate egg ribbons. Let it sit for 10 seconds then gently stir.
Immediately turn off the heat, add the black vinegar and white pepper, and stir well to combine. Adding after turning off the heat preserves the maximum flavor of vinegar and pepper.
Finally, drizzle with sesame oil and sprinkle with coriander and spring onion. Ladle into bowls.
Serve hot. Adjust with more vinegar or pepper according to your preference. Pairs wonderfully with fried bread sticks or steamed buns.
Tips
1. Soak the tofu strips in lightly salted water to prevent them from breaking during cooking. 2. Always add vinegar and pepper after turning off the heat to keep their pungent aroma. 3. Pour the egg slowly along chopsticks and let it set for a few seconds before stirring to achieve beautiful egg flowers.
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