Chinese Hot and Sour Soup with Tofu and Mushrooms

Chinese hot and sour soup, this version is vegetarian and features shiitake mushrooms, silken tofu, Chinese black vinegar & crispy chilli oil.

This simple soup is both easy and quick to cook, chopping the vegetables should take no more than 10 minutes and cooking takes less than 15 minutes!

Chinese Spicy Egg Drop Soup

Hot and sour soup is a perennial favourite on the menus of Chinese restaurants around the world.

I love me a good Chinese fakeaway night and this dish or my Chinese chicken and sweetcorn soup is always on the menu.

It is a light soup that features silken tofu, spring onions and shiitake mushrooms, with an egg whisked through it just before serving.

The heat from the recipe comes from one of my favourite ingredients, crispy chilli oil (lao gan ma). I adore this stuff, it gets used in everything from my crispy chilli beef to my leftover roast chicken soup.

The sour element comes from Chinese Chinkiang vinegar which adds a wonderful depth of flavour alongside acidity.

My take on this delicious but gloriously simple dish is vegetarian and cooks in well under 30 minutes, and that includes all of the preparation.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I use firm or extra firm tofu?

Yes, at a push but it does have a very different texture to silken tofu, I don’t think it is suited to this recipe.

It will also take a little longer to heat through, add an extra minute or two to the cooking time.

Can I use different mushrooms?

Yes, this can be made with any type of mushroom, but I think that the firm texture of shiitake mushrooms is ideal in this recipe.

What is Chinkiang vinegar?

Chinkiang is a Chinese black rice vinegar and it is delicious! The flavour is deeper and richer than regular rice vinegar and it is well worth hunting some down.

I use it in most of my Chinese “fakeaway” recipes, so don’t worry about it languishing in the cupboard. You can substitute it for any rice vinegar if needed.

Do I have to add the MSG?

No, but if you omit it then you are missing out!

Can I make this vegan?

This is an egg drop soup, but the egg can be omitted turning it into a fantastic vegan soup.

Serving Suggestions

My take on Chinese hot and sour soup makes for an awesome standalone meal for lunch.

However, I mainly cook it as a starter for our semi-regular Chinese fakeaway nights.

I usually start off with some prawn toast to nibble on followed by a bowl of soup.

Then I break out the noodle dishes, I’ve served it with everything from dan dan noodles, to my tofu noodle stir fry and even with my Japanese-influenced mushroom yaki udon noodles.

But if noodles ain’t your thing it is great served before everything from my special fried rice to my take on chicken egg foo yung!

Equipment Used

I only name-check brands of equipment if I think that they make a material difference to a recipe. But, if you have any questions feel free to ask them in the comments section below the recipe.

• Hob or stovetop.
• Wok.
• Stirring spoon.
• Kitchen knife.
• Chopping board.
• Mixing bowl.
• Weighing scale and or a combination of a measuring jug, cups and spoons.
• Kettle to boil water for the stock.