Mastering the art of traditional Chinese cuisine: Koji's classic hot & sour soup recipe
- Michael Fennelly
- Feb 8
- 2 min read
Updated: Feb 13
During my time at Parsons School of Design in Manhattan, I frequently enjoyed Chinese takeout. One of my favorites was the Hot & Sour Soup from a small Chinese restaurant in the east thirties. I regularly indulged in this rich, velvety soup, which was both fabulous and inexpensive. This is my version with some added vegetables. There are two exotic vegetables, both optional: Lily Buds and Mo-er mushrooms. They are easy to find and add authenticity, but the Hot & Sour Soup is just as good without them. The soup can be made vegetarian by using vegetable stock instead of chicken stock. Beef, shrimp, or chicken can also be used as alternatives to pork.
CLASSIC HOT & SOUR SOUP - Recipe (serves 8)
The Pork
A 1 pound piece of boneless pork roast - cut as shown in Photo.
1 tablespoon soy sauce
1 tablespoon sherry
2 tablespoons cornstarch
2 tablespoons sesame oil
Combine all ingredients in a medium-sized bowl in the specified order, then refrigerate until you're ready to cook.
Veggies and other ingredients
2/3 cup carrot - cut as shown in the photo. The convenient shredder displayed is a green papaya shredder, which can be found online or at Asian markets. I use it for various other vegetables, and it is worth the few dollars it costs.
8 sliced cremini mushrooms.
2/3 cup celery - cut ass shown in the photo.
2/3 cup seeded sweet red pepper - cut as shown in photo.
2/3 cup red onion - cut as shown in photo.
1/4 cup sliced bamboo shoots
1 block of firm tofu - cut as shown in photo.
Soak 30 lily buds in hot water for 30 minutes, then drain and remove the hard ends.
Soak 4 mo-er mushrooms in hot water for 30 minutes, then drain them, remove the tough stem parts, and slice finely.
3 tablespoons cornstarch dissolved in 5 tablespoons of water.
1 extra large egg mixed with 1 teaspoon sesame oil.
Final seasonings - Feel free to add more of these when serving, as the vinegar often loses its intensity. You can also add about 2 teaspoons of sugar for a slightly sweeter soup.
3 tablespoons soy sauce
1 tablespoon, peeled, grated fresh ginger.
3 tablespoons vinegar - Chinese, rice, balsamic, cider, or red all are suitable options.
1 teaspoon fresh cracked black pepper
Mix these together in a small bowl.
Soup Base
6 cups well seasoned chicken stock
METHOD
Remove marinated pork from the refrigerator.
Place a large pot with the chicken stock over high heat and bring it to a boil. Add the lily buds and mo-er mushrooms, stirring and cooking for 2 minutes. Reduce the heat and simmer, then add the remaining vegetables and pork, cooking for another 2 minutes. Stir in the tofu. Stir the cornstarch mixture and slowly pour it into the soup in a circular motion, stirring until it becomes satiny smooth for 1-2 minutes. Turn off the heat, pour in the beaten egg in a wide circle, let it set for 30 seconds, and then stir into chiffony ribbons. Gently stir in the seasoning mixture and serve.
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