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Chinese hot and sour soup with
soft tofu, preserved vegetable and tomato

If you have not visited the Chinese hot and sour soup introduction page, please do so first before attempting any Chinese hot and sour soup.

The sourness of most Chinese hot and sour soup comes solely from the vinegar added. This particular recipe includes preserved vegetable and tomato which are also sourish.

This makes the sour taste a bit more complex and interesting.

picture of preserved vegetable

Do not use a tomato that is too ripe. It becomes too mushy.

To peel the tomato, score the skin with a sharp knife and then blanch quickly in hot water. The skin will contract and curl away from the flesh.

I usually do not remove the tomato seeds but add them to the soup. It is up to you.

I suggest removing only if you really do not like them or if you are serving the soup to the elderly or people with digestive issues.

Ingredients

3 cups of water or soup stock
1/5 piece soft tofu
5 small pieces black fungus
50g lean pork
30g preserved vegetable / zha cai
1 slice ginger
1 egg, beaten
1 small tomato
1 tbsp cornstarch
2 tbsp cornstarch mixture
Cooking oil

Seasonings

2 tbsp black vinegar
1 tsp salt
1 tbsp sugar
1/5 tsp soy sauce
1 tbsp preserved bean paste
Pepper
Cooking wine

Garnish

1 stalk spring onion

Directions

Clean and slice the lean pork into thin strips
Marinate with wine, salt and cornstarch
Soak the black fungus till soft
Cut the black fungus, preserved vegetable, spring onion and ginger into thin strips
Peel the tomato, remove seeds and slice into thin strips
Cut the tofu into thin strips
Combine the dark vinegar, soy sauce and pepper
Heat the oil in a pot
Add the preserved bean paste and fry quickly
Add the lean pork strips and fry briefly
Remove the pork strips and leave aside
Add the soup stock into the pot and add the ginger, black fungus strips
Bring the soup to a boil
Add the tofu, preserved vegetable, pork strips and tomato
Add the combined vinegar, soy sauce and pepper
Bring the soup back to a boil
Thicken soup with the cornstarch mixture
Stream the egg in, using a pair of chopstick
Remove from heat, garnish with chopped spring onion
Serve hot

Have you read the
5 secrets to great hot and sour soups?

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Chinese hot and sour soup withsoft tofu, preserved vegetable and tomato

Have you read the5 secrets to great hot and sour soups?

Chinese hot and sour soup with
soft tofu, preserved vegetable and tomato

Have you read the
5 secrets to great hot and sour soups?