What comes to your mind when you see or hear the words "hot and sour soup"? Most probably the Chinese soup you had as a starter in a Chinese restaurant. Actually, it is a generic descriptive name for a soup that is both spicy and sour at the same time. For example, tom yam is a Thai-styled hot and sour soup but because of the widespread popularity of the Chinese version, it has become synonymous with it.
The Chinese version started out as a common family soup from the Szechuan (?? Sichuan) province in China. It became popular because it is a winner on all fronts. Complex taste - sour, spicy and savory all at the same time. Interesting texture - smooth, slightly thickened but crunchy. Winning look - colorful with a tinge of gloss.
cIt makes a great appetizer as the palate is stimulated or awakened by its spiciness and tartness. It warms the stomach and preps the palate for the food coming after. In a chinese banquet, a variation of a hot and sour soup is usually served as the first dish.
The slightly thickened consistency adds to its charm. It also helps cut down the greasiness of a meal and aids digestion. The soup can be complicated or simple. It can be extravagant or common. It all depends on the ingredients used. Common ingredients include tofu, meat strips, bamboo shoot, carrot and egg.
Make it yourself: You may have never tried making hot and sour soup because you thought it looks difficult. Or you have tried but it tasted bland. It is actually not difficult to wow your palate and those belonging to friends and family with this soup. I am going to let you in on a few secrets on how to make this delicious pot of soup.
Secret No. 1 - Use a soup stock: Do not use water to make hot and sour soup. To those who cook often, this might not seem like a secret. But I have come across so many friends who did not know that they should use a soup stock until I told them. You can make a chicken or vegetable stock or buy ready-made ones or stock cubes. If only water is used, there isn't enough time for the ingredients to impart any flavor to the soup. This is the major cause of soup blandness.
Secret No. 2 - Use natural vinegar: Do not use cheap white vinegar to make this soup. It tastes horrible. This is from personal experience. I tried it once when I was still a poor student and budget-conscious. I did not know that the cheap white vinegar sold in supermarkets is not made from natural ingredients. Rice vinegar is preferred and I like the dark ones because it adds a tinge of sweetness and has a more earthy tone.
Do not overcook the vinegar by adding it too early in the cooking process. Overcooking dulls the sharpness of the vinegar. Best to add it last.
Secret No.3 - Thicken soup first before egg drop: This sequence is important. Soup thickening requires constant stirring to prevent lumping. If egg was added first, you wouldn't be able to create visible streaks. It would be too broken and also overcooked.
To create nice egg streaks, guide the egg into the soup with a fork or a pair of chopsticks instead of pouring free hand. You can stream the egg in a circular motion over the soup. Let it stand for a while to set. Then, gently stir the soup to create the streaks.
You do not have to maintain a constant stream of beaten egg. You can stop pouring or streaming. Some people add the egg one spoonful at a time. Do that if you want more control but do turn off the heat first.
Secret No. 4 - Thickening is an art: There are no exact amount with using cornstarch. Adjust the amount of cornstarch mixture needed. If in doubt, add less and check. It is easier to add more cornstarch mixture to soup.
Secret No. 5 - Cut ingredients into similar sizes: Almost all the ingredients require a fair bit of cutting. Thin strips are preferred over dicing. Use the shredder if necessary. The beauty of this soup is when you can taste all the different ingredients in one spoonful.