Hot Sour Soup

* Exported from MasterCook *




HOT CHILE OIL “CHINA MOON”



Recipe By :

Serving Size : 3 Preparation Time :0:00

Categories : Condiments



Amount Measure Ingredient -- Preparation Method

-------- ------------ --------------------------------

2/3 c Chile Flakes, dried red

-shockingly pungent

1/3 c Beans, Black fermented

- Chinese -- coarsely chopped

-(do not rinse them)

4 lg Garlic cloves

- peeled and smashed

2 tb Ginger, fresh minced

2 1/3 c Oil, Corn or Peanut

1/3 c Oil, Sesame, Japanese



Combine all ingredients in a heavy, non aluminum 2 to

2 1/2 quart saucepan. Rest a deep-fry thermometer on

the rim of the pot. Over moderately low heat, bring

the mixture to a bubbly 225 degrees to 250 degrees,

stirring occasionally. Let simmer for 15 minutes,

checking to ensure the temperature does not rise.

Remove from the heat and let stand until cool or

overnight.



Scrape the oil and solids into an impeccably clean

glass or plastic container. Store at room temperature.



Use the oil wherever you want to light a spark. The

“goop” that settles to the bottom is a wonderful spicy

addition to sauces, noodles, fillings and marinades.



The day I made my own hot chile oil, I swear I grew a

foot as a cook! Not at all difficult and eminently

satisfying, I recommend this recipe to any aspiring

cook. Like grinding and brewing your own coffee after

a lackluster life of instant, the sheer flavor and

freshness of this chile oil will knock your socks off.



Source: “China Moon” Barbara Tropp Workman Publishing

Company ISBN 1-56305-315-2 1992 typed by Dorothy Hair

6/29/94









Fresh Dried Chili Oil







Published: May 19, 2009

2 medium-hot dried chili peppers, like a New Mexican red or other Southwestern chili

1 small clove garlic, pounded into a paste in a mortar and pestle

1/4 cup chopped fresh mint leaves

1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil

Salt.

1. Crush chilies with fingers into pieces no bigger than 1/4 inch across. Place in small bowl and add just enough boiling water to cover, about 1 tablespoon; let sit until chili is hydrated, 10 minutes.

2. Add garlic and mint, and mix while slowly adding olive oil. Taste and season with salt. For best flavor, make several hours before using.

Yield: 3/4 cup.

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/05/20/dining/203frex.html







Hot and Sour Soup

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4.8 out of 5

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By Rhonda Parkinson, About.com Guide

See More About:

• chinese soup recipes

• szechuan recipes

• chili oil

• winter recipes



The red color in this Hot and Sour Soup comes from the addition of hot chili oil.

Rhonda Parkinson

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Hot and sour soup is reputed to be good for colds. To increase the health benefits, feel free to add 2 or 3 teaspoons of finely chopped ginger.



For a vegetarian version of Hot and Sour Soup, leave out the pork.



Serves 4

Ingredients:

• 1 cake tofu (fresh, if possible)

• 2 ounces pork tenderloin

• Marinade:

• 1 teaspoon soy sauce

• 1/2 teaspoon sesame oil

• 1 teaspoon tapioca starch (or cornstarch)

• Other:

• 1/2 cup bamboo shoots

• 2 tablespoons black fungus (Wood Ear) or Cloud Ear fungus

• (or 3 - 4 Chinese dried black mushrooms or fresh mushrooms)

• 1 small handful dried lily buds

• 6 cups water (or 6 cups water and 1 cup Campbell's chicken broth)*

• 1 teaspoon salt, or to taste

• 1 teaspoon granulated sugar

• 2 tablespoons soy sauce

• 2 tablespoons red rice vinegar, white rice vinegar, or red wine vinegar

• 1 teaspoon sesame oil

• 1 Tbsp cornstarch dissolved in 1/4 cup water

• 1 egg, beaten

• 1 green onion, finely chopped

• White pepper to taste (no more than 1 tablespoon)

• Hot chili oil, to taste, optional

Preparation:

Hot and Sour Soup Directions:

Shred pork. Mix marinade ingredients and marinate pork for 20 minutes.



Cut tofu into small squares. Cut bamboo shoots into thin strips and then into fine slices. To reconstitute the fungus, soak in warm water for 20 minutes. Rinse, and cut into thin pieces. (If substituting Chinese dried mushrooms, soak to soften, then cut off the stems and cut into thin strips. If using fresh mushrooms, wipe clean with a damp cloth and slice.)



To reconstitute the dried lily buds, soak in hot water for 20 minutes or until softened. Cut off the hard ends.



Bring the water to a boil. When it is boiling, add the bamboo shoots, fungus or mushrooms, and the lily buds. Stir. Add the tofu. Bring back to a boil and add the marinated pork.

Stir in the salt, sugar, soy sauce and vinegar and sesame oil.

Test the broth and adjust the taste if desired. (If using chicken broth, you may want to add a bit more rice vinegar).



Mix the cornstarch and water. Slowly pour the cornstarch mixture into the soup, stirring while it is being added. Let the broth come back to a boil. As soon as it is boiling, remove the broth from the stove.



Slowly drop in the beaten egg, stirring in one direction at the same time. Add the green onion and the white pepper to taste. Drizzle with chili oil if desired. Serve hot.



(Hot and Sour Soup can be prepared ahead of time and frozen. When making the soup, leave out the tofu. When ready to serve, thaw, add the tofu and bring to boiling. When the soup is boiling, add the egg.)



*Adjust the ratio of water to chicken stock as desired.



Reader Review for Hot and Sour Soup:

Rating: 4 out of 5 stars

As good as any restaurant. I used dried lotus petals (instead of dried lily buds).

User Reviews



Overall Rating:

5 out of 5

best recipe I have tried so far...., February 22, 2008

By Aveeda



"I have been looking for a recipe to match our local chinese restaurant's Hot and Sour Soup for a very long time. This one is REALLY close and REALLY good!

I used more vinegar and white pepper than the recipe called for and it made a huge difference so I recommend that everyone with their own taste buds tweak it as desired.

Also make the effort to get all of the ingredients called for. We had to travel 50 miles to find them but it was so worth it. Bought in bulk so we have enough for a few future batches.

After marinading pork stir fry it intil it starts to brown nice and crisps up. This too made a difference in our second batch.

This and a batch of lo mein makes a great dinner !"







Chinese Hot-and-Sour Soup

Gourmet
January 2005

Adapted from Bruce Cost



•

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at a glance

main ingredients Mushroom, Tofu, Pork

cuisine Asian, Chinese

type Soup/Stew

more resources

Food Dictionary cooking videos

enlarge image

yield: Makes 6 to 8 first-course servings

active time: 45 min

total time: 1 1/4 hr

This authentic soup is essentially an ancient doctor's curative that combines the healing magic of chicken broth, the circulation-enhancing... more ›



Ingredients

• 5 ounces boneless pork loin, cut into 1/4-inch-thick strips (2/3 cup)

• 2 teaspoons dark soy sauce*

• 4 small Chinese dried black mushrooms*

• 12 small dried tree ear mushrooms*

• 1 1/2 tablespoons cornstarch

• 12 dried lily buds* (sometimes called golden needles)

• 1/2 cup canned sliced bamboo shoots*, cut lengthwise into 1/8-inch-wide strips (from an 8-oz can)

• 2 tablespoons red-wine vinegar

• 2 tablespoons rice vinegar (not seasoned)

• 1 tablespoon light soy sauce*

• 1 1/2 teaspoons sugar

• 1 teaspoon kosher salt

• 2 tablespoons peanut oil

• 4 cups reduced-sodium chicken broth

• 3 to 4 oz firm tofu (about a quarter of a block), rinsed and drained, then cut into 1/4-inch-thick strips

• 2 large eggs

• 2 teaspoons Asian sesame oil*

• 1 1/2 teaspoons freshly ground white pepper

• 2 tablespoons thinly sliced scallion greens

• 2 tablespoons fresh whole cilantro leaves





• *Available at Asian foods markets, Uwajimaya (800-889-1928), and Kam Man Food Products Inc. (212-571-0330).

print a shopping list for this recipe



Preparation

Toss pork with dark soy sauce in a bowl until pork is well coated.

Soak black and tree ear mushrooms in 3 cups boiling-hot water in another bowl (water should cover mushrooms), turning over black mushrooms occasionally, until softened, about 30 minutes. (Tree ears will expand significantly.) Cut out and discard stems from black mushrooms, then squeeze excess liquid from caps into bowl and thinly slice caps. Remove tree ears from bowl, reserving liquid, and trim off any hard nubs. If large, cut tree ears into bite-size pieces. Stir together 1/4 cup mushroom-soaking liquid (discard remainder) with cornstarch in a small bowl and set aside.

Meanwhile, soak lily buds in about 1 cup warm water until softened, about 20 minutes, then drain. Trim off tough tips of lily buds. Cut lily buds in half crosswise, then tear each half lengthwise into 2 or 3 shreds.

Cover bamboo shoots with cold water by 2 inches in a small saucepan, then bring just to a boil (to remove bitterness) and drain in a sieve.

Stir together vinegars, light soy sauce, sugar, and salt in another small bowl.

Heat a wok over high heat until a bead of water vaporizes within 1 to 2 seconds of contact. Pour peanut oil down side of wok, then swirl oil, tilting wok to coat sides. Add pork and stir-fry until meat just changes color, about 1 minute, then add black mushrooms, tree ears, lily buds, and bamboo shoots and stir-fry 1 minute.

Add broth and bring to a boil, then add tofu. Return to a boil and add vinegar mixture. Stir cornstarch mixture, then add to broth and return to a boil, stirring. (Liquid will thicken.) Reduce heat to moderate and simmer 1 minute.

Beat eggs with a fork and add a few drops of sesame oil. Add eggs to soup in a thin stream, stirring slowly in one direction with a spoon. Stir in white pepper, then drizzle in remaining sesame oil and divide among 6 to 8 bowls. Sprinkle with scallions and cilantro before serving.

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Mapo Tofu

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5 out of 5

(3 reviews)


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By Rhonda Parkinson, About.com Guide



Mapo Tofu (Mapo Doufu, Pockmarked Grandmother's Bean Curd)

Rhonda Parkinson

Ingredients:

• Marinade for Ground Pork:

• 1 1/2 Tbsp tapioca starch (can substitute cornstarch)

• 2 tablespoons soy sauce

• Other:

• 1/4 pound ground pork

• 1 pound regular tofu (medium firmness)

• 1 leek or 3 green onions

• 1/4 tsp salt

• 1 tsp Chinese salted black beans (fermented black beans, also called Chinese black beans), or to taste

• 1 Tbsp chili bean paste, or to taste

• 3 Tbsp stock (chicken broth)

• 1 Tbsp cornstarch

• 2 Tbsp water

• 2 Tbsp light soy sauce

• Freshly ground Szechuan pepper

• 2 - 3 tablespoons oil for stir-frying, as needed

Preparation:

Mix marinade ingredients. Marinate pork for about 20 minutes.

Cut the tofu (bean curd) into 1/2 inch (1 cm) square cubes, and blanch (drop into boiling water) for 2 - 3 minutes. Remove from boiling water and drain.

Chop leek or green onions into short lengths.

Heat wok and add oil. When oil is ready, add the marinated pork. Stir-fry pork until the color darkens. Add salt and stir. Add the salted black beans. Mash the beans with a cooking ladle until they blend in well with the meat. Add the chili paste, then the stock, bean curd, and leek or green onions.

Turn down the heat. Cook for 3 - 4 minutes.

While cooking, mix cornstarch, water, and soy sauce together. Add to wok and stir gently. Serve with freshly ground Szechuan pepper.