Scorching and Bitter Soup Recipe

Scorching and bitter soup is a spicy, bitter, and fashionable Chinese language takeout basic! Stuffed with a wide range of tasty elements like shiitake and wooden ear mushrooms, bamboo shoots, hen breast or pork, tofu, vinegar, white pepper, and basic Chinese language sauces, this soup is a meal in itself or the right addition to any unfold of Asian delicacies for each lunch and dinner.

This selfmade Scorching and Bitter Soup is among the wholesome and greatest soup recipes and is certain to make a filling and hearty meal. Whether or not you are on the lookout for one thing to heat you up on a chilly day or simply desire a scrumptious and satisfying starter in your meal, this Scorching and Bitter soup is certain to hit the spot.

And the very best half? I’ve additionally shared the simple recipe on methods to make a Scorching and Bitter Soup recipe at dwelling with step-by-step directions and a video to information you thru the cooking course of.

A bowl of hot and sour soup with ingredients scattered around.

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What’s Scorching and Bitter Soup?

Scorching and Bitter soup is a basic Chinese language dish that’s each scorching and bitter, and ideal for warming up on chilly winter days. It’s sometimes made with shiitake and wooden ear mushrooms, bamboo shoots, hen inventory, hen or pork meat, tofu, vinegar, white pepper powder, and primary Chinese language sauces. This scrumptious soup is a must-try for anybody on the lookout for a hearty and comforting meal.

The white pepper used on this soup offers it a powerful, earthy, and nutty taste that contributes to the recent style. The vinegar used within the recipe offers the soup its bitter taste. Although this soup is understood for its scorching and bitter style, you possibly can simply modify the flavors to your desire. It’s also possible to use your most popular protein, similar to hen or pork, relying on your loved ones’s wants.

Total, in case you are on the lookout for a wholesome dinner or eager for the greatest Asian recipes to encourage your loved ones, this Scorching and Bitter soup is a good alternative. So let’s make a pot of this scrumptious Chinese language Scorching and Bitter soup at dwelling.

Elements and Substitutions

To make this Scorching and Bitter soup, you have to a couple of primary Chinese language pantry elements and contemporary produce that may often be discovered at most Asian grocery shops. Here’s a checklist of the elements you have to.

Fundamental Elements

Under are the primary elements for making this soup.

Hot and Sour Soup Ingredients arranged on a grey table.

Mushrooms: You’ll need shiitake mushrooms and wooden ear mushrooms for this recipe. The wooden ear mushrooms, often known as black fungus, have an earthy taste. In case you are unable to search out these particular forms of mushrooms, you need to use white or brown mushrooms as substitutes. In case you resolve to make use of dried mushrooms, you should definitely soak them in scorching water till they soften. Whereas these mushrooms are genuine elements, you can too add greens similar to carrots and cabbage for a veggie-loaded soup
Bamboo shoots: These add a candy, earthy style and crunchy texture to the soup. In case you are not acquainted with bamboo shoots or don’t choose them, be happy to omit them from the recipe
Tofu: You’ll need further agency tofu and spicy tofu for this recipe, however you need to use simply further agency tofu if you do not have each available
Rooster breast: As a substitute of pork, which is commonly utilized in genuine Chinese language recipes, this recipe requires thinly sliced hen breast. You should use pork for those who choose
Eggs: These are overwhelmed and added to the soup to create “egg flowers,” often known as egg ribbons
Rooster inventory: Add a lot taste to the soup
Ginger: This provides a heat and spicy taste observe to the soup

Different Elements

Under are the opposite seasonings you have to for making this soup.

Soy sauce: Soy sauce delivers an umami taste, whereas darkish soy sauce provides shade to your soup
Rice vinegar: This provides the soup a bitter style. It’s also possible to use white vinegar
Chili flakes: Delivers a light warmth to the soup, however you can too use chili sauce or chili garlic sauce
Brown sugar: To boost the general taste and style of the soup
Floor white pepper: Provides a scorching, spicy taste to the soup. Begin with a minimal quantity and modify to your style preferences. If white pepper shouldn’t be helpful be happy to switch it with black pepper
Toasted sesame oil: This provides a country, earthy taste to the soup

For an in depth elements checklist, please take a look at the recipe card beneath.

How you can Make Scorching and Bitter Soup at House?

The recipe I’m sharing with you is a basic Chinese language dish known as Scorching and Bitter Soup. This can be very fashionable and is the right consolation meals to get pleasure from on a chilly winter day or to begin off your Chinese language meals feast. This soup is bursting with taste and is certain to fulfill your style buds with its scrumptious goodness. The most effective half is that it is vitally versatile, permitting you to regulate the elements to fit your style preferences.

Under are the high-level directions for this recipe, however for detailed step-by-step directions with photographs and a video, please see the recipe card beneath.

Prep the Elements

Prep the mushrooms – Thinly slice the shiitake and wooden ear mushrooms. If utilizing dried mushrooms, soak them in scorching water till comfortable after which slice. If utilizing contemporary mushrooms, clear them with a humid kitchen towel and slice them thinly. Thinly slice the bamboo shoots lengthwise too
Prep the tofu – Lower the tofu into desired shapes. You may lower the spiced tofu immediately, however for further agency tofu, drain the water and press out extra moisture earlier than reducing
Thinly slice the hen breast and marinate it with soy sauce and cornstarch for added taste
Prep eggs and seasoning – Put together the eggs by beating them and setting them apart. Then, collect all the required seasonings together with soy sauce, vinegar, ginger, cornstarch slurry, floor white pepper, and different desired seasonings

Prep Scorching and Bitter Soup:

Warmth the hen inventory – In a large pot or pan over medium warmth, pour 6 cups of hen inventory and add finely chopped ginger and convey them to a heat temperature
Add Rooster – Add the marinated hen and provides it a mild stir.
Add mushrooms, bamboo shoots, and seasonings – Throw within the shiitake mushrooms, wooden ear mushrooms, and bamboo shoots, and season with soy sauce, darkish soy sauce, rice vinegar, salt, chili flakes, and brown sugar. Let the combination boil for 10-Quarter-hour.
Add tofu – Add the tofu and provides it a great stir. Let it boil for an extra 5-7 minutes.
Thicken the soup – Thick the soup by including 1 tablespoon of cornstarch diluted in 3-4 tablespoons of water, cooking till you get the specified soupy consistency.
Create egg flowers – Slowly add the overwhelmed eggs, stirring to create a ribbon construction.
Garnish and take away – Lastly, add a pinch of floor white pepper, chopped scallions, and toasted sesame oil, stirring gently. Take the soup off the warmth and it is able to be served

Suggestions

Dried vs Contemporary Mushroom – Relating to the kind of mushrooms to make use of on this recipe, you possibly can select between dried or contemporary. I personally choose contemporary shiitake and wooden ear mushrooms, however for those who resolve to make use of dried mushrooms, you should definitely soak them in scorching water till they turn out to be comfortable. It will make it simpler to slice them. It is price noting that wooden ear mushrooms may additionally be labeled as “dried black fungus,” so do not be confused for those who see this on the label
Pork Meat – In conventional Chinese language Scorching and Bitter Soup, pork is commonly used, however I’ve chosen to make use of hen on this recipe. Be happy to make use of pork if that is your desire.
Regulate the recent and bitter style – If you wish to modify the extent of warmth within the soup, be happy to extend the quantity of floor white pepper. For a extra bitter style, contemplate including extra vinegar to the recipe.
Vegetarian model – To make a vegetarian model of Scorching and Bitter Soup, omit the hen and egg. Exchange the hen inventory with vegetable inventory. It will create a plant-based model of the dish that’s nonetheless scrumptious

Storage Recommendations

This Scorching and Bitter Soup tastes greatest when served instantly. Nevertheless, the leftovers will hold effectively within the fridge for as much as 2 days in an hermetic container. To reheat, merely place it on the stovetop and warmth it till it’s heat and evenly heated all through. Get pleasure from it once more!

Serving Recommendations

You may get pleasure from this Comforting Scorching and Bitter Soup alongside a few of your favourite Chinese language dishes similar to fried rice, hen fried rice, Szechuan hen, kung pao hen, and honey garlic shrimp. Alternatively, you possibly can pair it with different Asian takeout favorites like pad Thai, orange hen, and teriyaki hen for a scrumptious and satisfying unfold.

Under are another comforting soup recipes that you just may get pleasure from. You’ll find much more scrumptious recipes in our Chinese language and Asian recipes.

Scorching and Bitter Soup Recipe Video

Under, I’ve included an in depth video of the Scorching and Bitter Soup recipe that I hope will enable you create a scrumptious, Asian takeout-style dish at dwelling. It’s also possible to discover this recipe in story format.

📖 Recipe

FAQ

What’s Scorching and Bitter Soup?

Scorching and Bitter Soup is a basic Chinese language dish that mixes the flavors of warmth and sourness, making it excellent for warming up on chilly winter days. It sometimes contains elements similar to shiitake and wooden ear mushrooms, bamboo shoots, hen inventory, hen or pork meat, tofu, vinegar, white pepper powder, and primary Chinese language sauces. This tasty soup is a must-try for anybody on the lookout for a hearty and comforting meal.

Is Scorching and Bitter Soup wholesome?

Sure, it’s a wholesome soup made with contemporary elements and protein, making it a hearty and filling meal. Nevertheless, it is very important observe that the precise dietary content material of the soup will rely upon the elements and ratios used, in addition to any further seasonings or oils added.

What’s the black factor in Scorching and Bitter Soup?

The black factor within the soup is a wooden ear mushroom, often known as a black fungus. That is an genuine ingredient utilized in Chinese language Scorching and Bitter Soup and offers an earthy taste to the dish.

I hope you discovered the recipe pleasant and I might recognize listening to about your expertise with it.

You probably have any additional questions, please don’t hesitate to go away a remark and I’ll do my greatest to reply promptly. Thanks for studying and glad cooking!

Scorching and Bitter Soup Recipe

What’s Scorching and Bitter Soup?