Vietnamese Hot and Sour Soup

This soup is made with chicken stock, bamboo shoots and cubes of tofu. Finished with shredded chicken and spring onions, this glossy and velvety soup will be a crowd pleaser.

Course Appetizer, Lunch

Cuisine Vietnamese

Prep Time 5

Cook Time 15

Soak Time 20

Total Time 40

Servings people

Calories 184kcal

Author Scruff

Ingredients

6 dried shiitake mushrooms
100 gm bamboo shoots (canned), julienned or cut into thin strips
1 L low sodium chicken stock
1 cup water
2 slices of ginger
1/2 chicken breast
250 gm regular tofu, cubed
1/4 tsp salt
pepper, to taste
1 tsp sugar
1 tbsp white vinegar
2.5 tbsp fish sauce
1 egg, beaten

Thickener

3 tbsp cornstarch
3 tbsp cold water

Garnish

2 spring onions / scallions, chopped
coriander, chopped (optional)
chilli, sliced (optional)

Metric - US Customary

Instructions

Soak the shiitake mushrooms for 20 minutes in just-boiled water, then cut into thin slices.
Wash the bamboo shoots with water then soak in just-boiled water for 15 minutes. Drain and set aside.
Prep all your other ingredients.
Add the chicken stock, water, shiitake mushrooms and ginger to a pot on medium high and bring to the boil.
Once the water is boiling, add the chicken and cook with the lid partially on for 4 - 6 minutes or until cooked. If the water is boiling too vigorously turn it down to medium - low.
Once the chicken is done, take it out and let it cool in a covered bowl (Note 1). Then shred the chicken in to small pieces.
Add the bamboo, tofu, salt, pepper, sugar, white vinegar and fish sauce. Cook with the lid partially on for another 5 minutes on medium low.
Add the beaten egg slowly to the pot while gently stirring it with a spoon.
In a small bowl, combine the cornstarch and cold water. Then add it to the pot and stir it into the soup.
Add the chicken back into the soup and let it come to the boil.
Check the seasoning, sourness and consistency of your soup (Note 2)
Garnish and serve.

Notes

Covering the chicken in a bowl will stop the steam from escaping, preventing the chicken from drying out.
To add more flavour and seasoning, use fish sauce. Otherwise use salt. If you need more sourness, add more vinegar. Only add small amounts at a time!!!

Nutrition