Hot and Sour Soup from Food52

Over the weekend I discovered a new recipe for Hot and Sour Soup on Food52.  Anthony picked up the items we needed form the store and started the prep work for me in the kitchen.  I took over and finished the recipe.  I am a big fan of hot and sour soup and this recipe is thumbs up from both Anthony and I.  It was easy to prepare and very tasty.

Joanne Chang's Hot and Sour Soup
http://food52.com/recipes/25530-joanne-chang-s-hot-and-sour-soup

Author Notes: Restaurants and recipes for hot and sour soup invariably use cornstarch as a thickener, but it doesn't have to be that way. Yes, cornstarch plumps up the broth, but in doing so puts a hazy, viscous layer between us and the sour, spicy sting we crave. Chang's version is thickened with egg instead and makes a number of other smart updates without compromising what we love about the classic. From Flour, Too (Chronicle Books, 2013).

2 tablespoons vegetable oil

1 garlic clove, smashed and minced

1 tablespoon minced fresh ginger

4 scallions, white and green parts, minced, plus more for garnish

8 ounces ground pork

4 cups store-bought or homemade chicken stock

1 pound soft or firm tofu (not silken and not extra firm), cut into 1/2-inch cubes

4 or 5 medium button mushrooms, wiped clean and thinly sliced (or substitute dried, rehydrated wood ear mushrooms)

1 teaspoon granulated sugar

2/3 cups rice vinegar, or to taste

3 tablespoons soy sauce, or to taste

1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, or to taste

1 tablespoon sesame oil, plus more for garnish

1 tablespoon Sriracha sauce, or to taste

2 large eggs

White or black pepper for garnish

1.In the saucepan, heat the vegetable oil over medium-high heat until hot. Add the garlic, ginger, scallions, and pork and cook, stirring occasionally, for about 1 minute. You want to break up the pork into smaller pieces with a spoon, but don’t worry about breaking it down completely or cooking it through.

2.Add the stock and bring to a simmer. Add the tofu, mushrooms, sugar, vinegar, soy sauce, black pepper, sesame oil, and Sriracha sauce and bring the soup back to a simmer over medium-high heat. Taste the soup. If you want it hotter, add more Sriracha sauce; if you want it more sour, add more vinegar.

3.In a small bowl, whisk the eggs until blended. With the soup at a steady simmer, slowly whisk in the eggs so they form strands. Bring the soup back to a simmer. Divide the soup among 4 to 6 bowls and garnish each with a little sesame oil, scallion, and white or black pepper. Serve immediately. (Leftovers can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. The soup may take on a slightly different appearance, but it will taste just the same.)