Easy Hot and Sour Soup (Hakka)

Easy Hot and Sour Soup (Hakka)

A Hakka Hot and Sour Soup that's got BIG flavour!

Course Appetizer

Cuisine Chinese, Hakka, Indian, Indo-Chinese, Pakistani

Diet Halal, Hindu

Prep Time 13

Cook Time 20

Total Time 33

Servings people

Calories 248kcal

Author Sarah Mir

Equipment

small saucepan
large heavy bottomed pot

Ingredients

3 tbsp oil
2 tsp crushed garlic
2 tsp grated ginger
1 green chili (optional)
½ lb chicken (250 g, less works too)

Vegetables (total 3 cups, see notes)

1 ½ cup coleslaw mix or shredded cabbages
1 green pepper thinly sliced
1 red pepper thinly sliced
½-3/4 cup mushrooms quartered or cut into sixths
½ cup julienned carrots

Flavored Broth Mix

6 cups Broth (any)
3 tbsp Soy Sauce
2 tbsp Dark Soy Sauce
1.5 tbsp Vinegar
2-3 tbsp Asian Style Chili Sauce (I use Sriracha)

Slurry

5 tbsp cornstarch plus ⅓ cup water

Other add ins

2 egg whites lightly beaten
½ cup soft or medium tofu cut into 1 cm pieces
½ cup julienned bamboo shoots

Chili Vinegar (Optional)

8-10 green chilies thinly sliced
1 cup vinegar
½ tsp sugar
½ tsp salt

Instructions

Chili Vinegar

Bring vinegar to a simmer in a small saucepan along with the sugar and salt
Snip your green chilies right into it with kitchen shears, simmer for 3-4 minutes and turn off the stove.

Hot and Sour Soup

Warm the oil in a heavy bottomed soup pot on medium high heat
Add the ginger and garlic, let it cook for 30 seconds along with the green chili (if using)
Now add the chicken and saute till it all changes color
Stir in your vegetables and saute for 4-6 minutes until tender crisp
Meanwhile mix your broth together with the other ingredients under Flavored Broth Mix - you can also add it all straight to the pot if that's easier.
Simmer for another five minutes
With the soup on a gentle boil whisk in the cornstarch slurry and turn the heat all the way down stirring while it thickens.
Once it thickens you can turn off the stove and whisk the egg whites in and they'll cook in the residual heat.
Stir in your tofu and bamboo shoots if using and adjust seasoning - you want a spicy kick, sour notes, and that rich umami
Serve with Chili Vinegar

Notes

Hot and Sour soup is easily customized - you can use whatever combination of vegetable and protein that suits you and as long as you get to roughly 3 cups of vegetables you will get a hearty healthy soup.

Nutrition