Re: [CH] Hot & Sour Soup

Andy B (quark@erols.com)
Thu, 17 Dec 1998 23:30:18 -0500 

 Doug,  Mark,

Thanks for remininding me about H&S soup recipies  -- both look good.  Lost
mine, these are close to what I can remember.   I do remember three things:

   * Shittake mushrooms.  Important.  Rarely get in restraunts.  Although
     fresh are sometimes available, I prefer dried and reconsitute as below.
     Then julianne.  Add equivalent of 1/2 cap per serving cup.  Can't match
     this flavor.

   * A suggestion on the pork:  I cut in strips and fast stir-fry in sesame
     oil until crispy around the edges.  Then add to chicken stock as
     directed.  (Professional recipies call for pork stock.  This is my way
     for faux pork stock.)

   * The mistique of this is the variety of flavors and textures in the soup.

Enjoy.
Andy.
-------------------------------------------

Mark Stevens wrote:
  Got a slammin' Hot & Sour soup recipe at:
  http://www.exit109.com/~mstevens/hotsour.html

Doug Irvine wrote:

> Deb, I think that I posted this before, but in case I didnt: First of
> all, this soup originated like fried rice, as a way to use up left
> overs, and has turned into a splendid dish, which can be a whole meal. I
> have several different recipes that I check out first, before I start,
> and come up with this....Doug's Hot & Sout soup
> 1    quart of chicken stock, home made is best
> 1/4 cup of cloud ears (wood fungus)
> 1/4 cup of golden needles(lily bud stamens)
> 1/3 lb of pork, sorta shredded, use any cut, small pork chop is good
> 1    tbls cornstarch mixed with 1 tsp dry sherry, marinate above pork in
> this
> 2    tbls cornstarch mixed with 1/2 cup of water
> 1    one lb block of firm tofu
> 2-4 tbls of rice wine vinegar, depends on how sour you want it
> 1    egg lightly beaten
> 1-2 habs, chopped finely, depends on how hot you want it...broken
> record!!
> sesame oil, green onions, light soy sauce, add these to your taste, with
> the sesame oil being sprinkled on last.
> Soak the cloud ears and the golden needles in hot water for at least
> half an hour, until they have increased in size, remove from the water
> and sqeeze the needles to remove excess water, cut these all in half.
> Start soup by putting the stock in a large pot, and season with salt a a
> little light soy sauce...get it to a light boil, and add the pork
> shreds, cook for about a minute, add the cloud ears, needles and the
> bean curd, cut into small pieces, or however size you wish, add the
> chopped up habs, cook for about 1-2 minutes. Add the cornstarch mixture
> and stir to thicken,  lower the heat and add the vinegar, stir around
> and taste, add more vinegar if necessary. Slowly stir in the egg, and
> then add the green onions, 2-3 should do and sprinkle with the sesame
> oil....serve immediately, and enjoy. I usually just serve this with Thai
> rice.