Chinese Hot And Sour Soup Szechwan House Food

TRADITIONAL SZECHUAN-STYLE HOT AND SOUR SOUP WITH TOFU FRITTER

Steps:

• Combine the pork with the sesame oil, soy, and cornstarch. Let stand for 30 minutes. In a hot stockpot, add oil and sear the pork, stirring quickly then set aside. Add the chiles and ginger, and stir. Add the stock, sugar, bamboo and wood ear and bring to a boil. Season. While boiling, drizzle in the egg to form ribbons. Add the cornstarch and stir constantly to thicken. Add vinegar, soy, sesame oil, scallions and cilantro including the pork and check for seasoning. I love my soup tart and spicy so more vinegar and white pepper can be added. Add Tofu Fritters to each bowl of soup and serve.
• Preheat a fryer to 400 degrees F.
• In a mixing bowl, whisk together the tofu, yolks, scallions, sesame oil, ginger, and sausage. Season and fold into egg whites. Using 2 spoons, make quenelles and gently place in a dish of rice flour and coat using your hands. Place in deep fryer and fry to golden brown, about 2 to 3 minutes. Drain on paper towels and season, place in soup, and immediately serve.

CHINESE HOT & SOUR SOUP

Steps:

• Combine chicken broth, wine and sauces in large pan until boiling.
• Stir in blended cornstarch and water slowly.
• Add mushrooms, ham, chestnuts and bell pepper to pot and simmer for 5 minutes.
• Add vinegar and sesame oil to pot.
• Lightly beat egg and 1 tbsp of water. Add to soup while stirring constantly.
• Add spring onions, shrimps and beancurds. Simmer for 1 minute.
• Scoop into soup bowls and serve hot.

CHINESE HOT AND SOUR SOUP SZECHWAN HOUSE

Steps:

• Mix the pork with 1 tablespoons of soy sauce. Let it sit for 30 minute.
• As that sits reconstitute the dried black mushrooms and black fungus.
• Take a small sauce pan and put the dried mushrooms and fungus into it. Pour enough water over them to cover them. If you have extra chicken broth you can use it. If not water will do fine.
• Let the mushrooms and fungus hydrate for about 20-30 min over a low boil.
• Combine the vinegar, 1 tablespoon of soy sauce, salt, and sugar in a small bowl.
• If you have not mixed the corn starch and water do so in a small bowl.
• Using a large sauce pan heat up the peanut oil on high heat and saute the pork (do not overcook it).
• Add in the bamboo shoots and mushrooms and fungus (do not pour in the liquid that they were hydrating in). I have sometimes found some grit in the liquid and you do not want that in your soup. Saute briefly.
• Add in the 4 cups of chicken broth and bring to a boil.
• Add in the tofu.
• Add in the vinegar mixture.
• Stir up the cornstarch and water mixture to make sure it hasn't settled and add that.
• Lower the heat.
• Stir in one direction and slowly stir in 2 beaten eggs in a thin stream.
• Add in the chile and garlic paste.

HOT AND SOUR SOUP (BETTY FOO; HUNAN RESTAURANT)

Steps:

• Clean the dried day lilies, soak them in warm water for about 20 minutes.
• Cut off the hard, tough tip of the stem and then cut the day lilies in half lengthwise.
• Clean and soak the wood ear mushrooms in warm water for about 20 minutes, then cut into small pieces. To clean, just wipe with a damp cloth -- don't soak or wash!
• Bring the chicken broth to a boil and then add the pork (or vegetarian alternative -- see below), skimming the surface of any fat.
• Cook the pork for 3-4 minutes, until the broth comes to a boil again.
• Add the tofu, mushroom pieces, bamboo shoots, and day lilies.
• Let the pot return to a boil, then reduce heat to maintain a low boil.
• Add the soy sauce, spices, vinegar, salt and sugar.
• Taste the soup, adjusting the vinegar (you may need to modify up or down by an ounce) for the "sour" and salt for balance.
• Mix the corn starch and water to create a paste for thickening.
• Add the corn starch mixture slowly, stirring constantly.
• Drizzle the beaten eggs in slowly while stirring, so that you get "strings" of egg.
• Turn off the heat.
• Presentation -- ladle the soup into bowls, then garnish with 1/2 tsp of scallion per bowl and a drizzle of sesame oil.
• Comments on ingredients & substitutions:.
• Dried lily pods and wood ears (also called "tree ears", "black fungus" or "Hu Bei") available in most oriental markets.
• Chicken stock -- use home made or a low sodium canned variety. For Vegetarians use a Vegetarian Chicken stock or a Vegetable Stock.
• Pork -- For kosher alternative, use shredded chicken or turkey; for vegetarian alternative, replace pork with a mix of fresh flavorful mushrooms, e.g., shiitake, oyster, or portobellos.
• Soy sauce -- Betty uses regular soy sauce -- if using a "lite soy" variety, you may have to adjust the amount of salt to taste.
• Vinegar -- the vinegar is the essence of the "sour" aspect of this soup, and distilled white vinegar gives you the strongest taste; rice vinegars, wine vinegars, apple cider vinegars, etc, will either be too dilute (not enough acidity) or add extraneous flavors.
• Garlic -- garlic powder is preferred in this recipe, but if you choose to use cloves, leave them whole, add them only to flavor the chicken broth and remove them before adding other ingredients.
• Sesame oil -- adds a shimmer and smoky flavor to the final product. Chinese sesame oil is typically from toasted seeds; Japanese is typically untoasted, so the flavor will be subtly different.

CHINESE HOT AND SOUR SOUP

Steps:

• In a small saucepan, bring 1 cup of the water to a boil. Place the bamboo shoots in a small heatproof bowl and pour 1/2 cup of the boiling water over them; let soak for 5 minutes then drain. Add the dried mushrooms to the water to the water remaining in the saucepan and let soak for 15 minutes. Drain the mushrooms through a sieve, reserving the soaking liquid. Slice the mushrooms, discarding the stems.
• In a large saucepan, heat the oil over moderate heat. Add the chicken and sauté for 4 minutes or until no longer pink on the outside. Add the soaked mushrooms, fresh mushrooms, green onions, stock, soy sauce, honey, and mushroom soaking liquid. Bring the sauce pan mixture to a simmer.
• Meanwhile, in a small bowl, mix the cornstarch with the remaining 1/4 cup water. Stir the cornstarch mixture into the simmering soup and cook for 5 minutes. Stir in the tofu, vinegar, and red pepper sauce. Cook until the tofu is heated through.

CHINESE HOT-AND-SOUR SOUP

Steps:

• 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.

CHINESE HOT AND SOUR SOUP

Steps:

• Heat stock in large saucepan over medium heat.
• Place noodles in a bowl, add boiling water to cover and soak until soft-about 3-5 minutes Drain and add to the stock.
• Place mushrooms in a bowl, add boiling water to cover and soak for 5 minutes.
• Drain, slice thinly and add to the stock.
• Add diced chicken, bamboo shoots and ginger and stir to combine.
• Cook until chicken is tender, 3-4 minutes.
• Stir in remaining ingredients and cook for 1-2 minutes more.
• Taste and adjust seasonings by adding a little more vinegar or chili as desired.
• Serve immediately, ladled into bowls.