I simply love this recipe for Hot and Sour Soup. It takes the classic soup that we love from our favorite Asian restaurants and mixes it up a bit. This recipe can also be made a variety of different ways because I used to gobble it down when I was a vegetarian as well (minus the fish and Worcestershire). You can use chicken, shrimp, tofu, or just use extra mushrooms and make it meatless. No matter which way I make it, I LOVE it.
The Marinade:
1/2 cup sake or rice wine vinegar (I typically use sake)
2 tablespoons minced ginger
1 teaspoon toasted sesame oil
1 teaspoon salt
Soup Ingredients:
6 cups chicken or vegetable broth/stock
1 1/2 pounds firm fleshed fish (haddock, red snapper, trout)
1 1/2 cups green onions, chopped
1/2 cup dried wood ears (soaked for 20 minutes, and cut into strips)
1/4 cup dried Shitake mushrooms or large handful fresh oyster mushrooms
3/4 pound snow peas (snap the ends and remove strings)
5 tablespoons Chinese black vinegar or Worcestershire sauce
4 tablespoons soy sauce (I use gluten free)
3 tablespoons fresh minced ginger
2 tablespoons dried seaweed flakes
salt and pepper to taste
1 teaspoon toasted sesame oil
2 eggs, lightly beaten
Cut the fish into bite size chunks and add to the Marinade for 1 to 2 hours. Pour the broth into a dutch oven or stock pot and add the fish, onions, and soaked wood ears and mushrooms. Bring to a boil and then reduce heat to medium to simmer for 5 minutes. Skim any impurities that foam at the top and add snow peas.
Add the black vinegar, soy sauce, ginger, salt and pepper, and sesame oil. Stir well and remove from heat. Take your beaten eggs and slowly add them to the soup, stirring in a thin stream around the edge of the pot. Serve and enjoy!
This soup is excellent for winter wellness and nourishing the body during cold and flu season. The ginger heats up your body to fight any germs that may be taking hold of you and the wood ears are also very good for you. Wood ears are a black herbal fungus that have been used in tonics by the Chinese for thousands of years. They are great for digestive troubles and energy levels. You can order them online if you don’t have a good Asian market in your area. If you don’t have any you can use oyster mushrooms instead.
Enjoy!
