Dish · chinese
Hot and Sour Soup
Tofu, wood ear mushroom, bamboo shoots, and ribbons of egg in a peppery, vinegary broth thickened with cornstarch.
Where it comes from
The soup comes from Sichuan and Beijing cooking, where pepper supplies the heat and vinegar the sour; it was simplified into a milder standard once it reached American Chinese menus.
What cooks argue about
Cooks argue over adding the vinegar early, for a mellow background note that fades with cooking, versus at the very end, so the sharp bite stays intact.
Versions
Nobody has published a hot and sour soup here yet. When somebody cooks one from a video and publishes it, their version appears in this list, with a link back to the original.
What goes in it
Each one opens everything else made with it.
firm tofu
bamboo shoots
egg
rice vinegar