BY ELENNA LEA
I first tried this soup when I worked for a catering company, Pineridge BBQ Co. back in 2018. I was amazed by the sour and the heat flavors, I couldn’t get enough and I couldn’t wait to try making it myself. I scoured the internet for the best one and this is what I’ve found.
Now, it may be an easy version of the recipe, and I’ve made it 10+ times and changed a few things, but this one is my number one go-to soup recipe. The only ingredients I have to go out and buy each time I make this are: bamboo shoots and tofu, as those are not regular items we use on a regular basis in our home. Everything else is already in the pantry/fridge, ready to be dumped into a soup.
I recently tried this soup from a local Chinese restaurant (Golden Dragon, in Byron), and they put peas in the soup, which also added a nice little touch. I may try that next time. If you’re like my dad and don’t care for tofu, you can also add a hard boiled egg or seafood. Let’s dive in!
Ingredients
- 4 cups chicken broth
- 4 ounces shiitake mushrooms, thinly sliced (I also have used portabello)
- 1 (8-ounce / 226g) can bamboo shoots, drained and thinly sliced
- 8 ounces firm tofu, drained and sliced in 1/4-inch strips
- 3 cloves garlic, grated
- 3 teaspoons ginger, grated
- 2 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
- 3 tablespoons rice vinegar or red wine vinegar
- 2 tablespoon chili sauce, such as sriracha
- 3 tablespoons soy sauce
- 2 teaspoons brown sugar
- 2 tablespoons cornstarch mixed into 2 tablespoons cold water
- 2 eggs, lightly beaten
- 2 teaspoons sesame seed oil
- 2 teaspoon black pepper
- 3 green onions, sliced thin
Directions
- Slice the tofu, mushrooms
- Bring the broth, mushrooms, bamboo shoots, tofu, garlic, ginger, vinegars, chili sauce, soy sauce and sugar to a boil in a large saucepan over medium-high heat, reduce the heat and simmer for 5 minutes
- Mix in the cornstarch and water mixture and simmer until the soup thickens a bit, about 2 minutes
- Slowly pour in the beaten eggs in a thin stream while stirring the soup
- Mix in the sesame oil, pepper and green onions, remove from heat and enjoy
Let me know if you try this recipe!