Hot and Sour Soup (Print Version)

# Ingredients:

→ Soup Base

01 - 1 can (8 ounces) bamboo shoots, well drained
02 - 8 ounces fresh shiitake or baby portobello mushrooms, sliced thinly with stems removed
03 - 8 cups broth (chicken or vegetable), save 1/4 cup off to the side

→ Seasonings

04 - 1 teaspoon sesame oil, toasted
05 - Kosher salt, adjust to taste
06 - White or black pepper, use according to your preference
07 - 2 teaspoons ground ginger
08 - 1 teaspoon chili garlic sauce
09 - 1/4 cup soy sauce (low-sodium)
10 - 1/4 cup rice vinegar, and more if needed to tweak flavor

→ Thickener & Proteins

11 - 2 eggs, fully whisked until smooth
12 - 8 ounces tofu (firm), diced into cubes about 1/2 inch
13 - 1/4 cup cornstarch

→ Garnish

14 - Handful of green onions, thinly sliced

# Instructions:

01 - Scoop out and save 1/4 cup of the broth in a separate small bowl. Mix this saved broth later with cornstarch as a thickener.
02 - Pour the other 7 3/4 cups of the broth into a big pot. Add in sliced mushrooms, drained bamboo shoots, soy sauce, rice vinegar, ginger powder, and chili garlic sauce. Heat everything together on medium-high until it starts simmering.
03 - Stir cornstarch thoroughly into the reserved 1/4 cup broth, ensuring no clumps. Pour this into the simmering soup while stirring constantly, and let it cook for a minute or so until it thickens up well.
04 - While stirring the soup gently in circles, drizzle in the whisked eggs gradually, creating thin ribbons as they cook. Gently mix in the tofu cubes, half of the green onions, and the sesame oil. Sprinkle in some salt and a bit of white or black pepper—white pepper is intense, so go slow!
05 - Give it a taste and tweak the flavors as needed—add more vinegar for tanginess or chili garlic sauce for heat. Dish it up hot and throw the rest of the green onions on top for garnish.

# Notes:

01 - Swap tofu for 1/2 pound of cooked ground pork or thinly-sliced pork strips if you prefer meat.
02 - White pepper is stronger and tastes different than black pepper, so start with a pinch and work up to your liking.

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