Hot and Sour Soup

 

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One of my favourite soups.  And, it’s so difficult to find a good one!  Usually so “gloppy” and so not complex.  This version is based on a recipe from one of my favourite chefs, Alton Brown, from his book, Serious eats.  One ingredient I added was chili oil- first try it in a bowlful.  If you like it, slowly add to your pot of soup, a little at a time, tasting after each addition. 

I also made the broth using my own homemade chicken broth, which I always have on hand in the freezer and a litre of packaged organic chicken broth.  

This recipe serves four to six generous portions

Ingredients 

• For the Broth (see notes):

• 1lbs (455g) chicken feet

• 1 lbs (455g) chicken carcasses, roughly chopped

• 4 ounces (115g) Jinhua ham

• One 2-inch knob fresh ginger (25g), smashed with the side of a knife

• 4 medium cloves garlic (20g), smashed with the side of a knife

• 1 onion (8 ounces), split in half

• 6 scallions, roughly chopped

• 2 tsp cornstarch
• 1tbsp (15ml) light soy sauce

• 1 tbsp (15ml) toasted sesame oil
• Kosher salt
• For the Garnish:
• 1 oz (30g) dried wood-ear mushrooms (see notes)
• 1 oz (30g) dried daylilies (see notes)
• 6 oz(170g) extra firm tofu, cut into thin matchsticks
• 6 oz (170g)trimmed pork shoulder or loin, cut into 2-inch long slivers
• 1 large egg
• 1/2 teaspoon cornstarch
• To Serve:
• 1 1/2 tsp ground white pepper, plus more to taste
• 1/4 cup (60ml) Chinkiang vinegar, plus more to taste (see notes)
• 1 tbsp (15ml) toasted sesame oil, plus more to taste
• 1/4 cup thinly sliced scallions
• 1/4 cup picked fresh cilantro leaves

Directions

1. For the Broth: Combine chicken feet, chicken bones, and ham in a large stockpot. 

   Cover with cold water. Bring to a boil over high heat. Drain bones in sink, then rinse 

   under cold running water. Return to pot, add ginger, garlic, onion, and 6 scallions. 

   Cover with water, bring to a boil over high heat, reduce to a bare simmer, and cook 

    1 hour, skimming off scum and fat occasionally. Pour through a fine-mesh strainer 

   into a large pot. Discard solids. You should have about 1 1/2 quarts broth. 

   If not, reduce to 1 1/2 quarts.

2. Combine 2 teaspoons cornstarch with 2 teaspoons water in a small bowl and mix with 

   a fork. Add to broth. Add soy sauce and sesame oil. Bring to a boil, season to taste 

   with salt and pepper, and keep warm.

3. For the Garnish: Meanwhile, place wood-ears and daylilies in separate bowls, cover 

   with warm water, and let soak at least 30 minutes. Drain carefully, then thinly slice 

   wood-ears and cut daylilies crosswise into 2-inch pieces.

4. When broth is ready, add sliced wood-ears, daylilies, tofu, and pork. Beat together 

   egg with 1/2 teaspoon cornstarch. Bring broth to a boil, reduce to a bare simmer, and 

   slowly pour the egg into the broth in a thin steady stream. Let egg set for 15 seconds, 

   then stir gently to incorporate. Season soup to taste with salt if necessary.

5. To Serve: Just before serving, stir in white pepper and vinegar. Drizzle with sesame 

   oil and sprinkle with scallions and cilantro. Serve immediately, passing more white 

   pepper, vinegar, and sesame oil at the table to adjust for taste.

Notes 

For a much faster version, use 1 1/2 quarts store-bought low-sodium chicken broth simmered

 with a 2-inch knob of ginger (sliced), 6 scallions, and 4 smashed coves of garlic simmered on the stovetop for 20 minutes in place of the homemade stock. Proceed from Step 2 as directed.

Jinhua ham is a Chinese-style smoked raw ham. You can use country ham, prosciutto, or 

even a smoked ham hock or bacon in its place. Wood-ear mushroom is sold as black fungus 

and can be found in Asian market, along with dried daylilies. Chinkiang vinegar is also sold as 

Zhenjiang vinegar in Asian markets. If unavailable, substitute with two tablespoons red wine vinegar and 

two tablespoons apple cider vinegar.