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Preparation
20 minutes
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Cooking
30 minutes
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Difficulty
Easy
On rainy days like this, gathering with family around a pot of sour and spicy soup that is delicious and warm is just perfect. Let’s get cooking with TasteVN and learn how to make this soup for everyone to enjoy!
Ingredients for Sour and Spicy Soup For 4 people
Pork 2 pieces (about 120gr) Broth 1.5 liters Fresh shiitake mushrooms 3 pieces (fragrant mushrooms) Fresh bamboo shoots 120 gr Carrot 1 piece (about 70gr) Dried wood ear mushrooms 70 gr (shredded) Dried chili 1 tablespoon Small ginger 1 piece Soft tofu 1 piece Green onion 3 stalks Cilantro 3 stalks Chicken eggs 2 pieces Cornstarch 4.5 tablespoons Sesame oil 1 teaspoon Black vinegar 3 tablespoons Rock sugar 20 gr (about 3 small cubes) Cooking oil 5 tablespoons Soy sauce 3.5 tablespoons Common spices a little (sugar/salt/pepper)
How to choose fresh ingredients
How to choose fresh pork
- You should choose pieces of meat that are pink-red, with a dry surface that is not slimy.
- Avoid buying pieces that have many unusual black spots on the surface, are slimy yellow, and have an unpleasant odor when smelled.
- At the same time, you can check by pressing with your hand; fresh pieces will return to their original position when you remove your hand.
See details: How to choose fresh pork
How to choose fresh shiitake mushrooms
- Choose mushrooms that are of moderate size, with short stems, tightly capped, and slightly brownish-yellow in color.
- Avoid choosing caps that are dark brown as they may be poisonous.
- Additionally, there should be a distinct, natural aroma of the mushrooms.
See details: How to choose fresh shiitake mushrooms
How to choose fresh bamboo shoots
- You should buy bamboo shoots that are naturally yellow or slightly dark yellow, avoiding those that are white or bright yellow as they may have been soaked in chemicals to enhance appearance.
- Fresh bamboo shoots are usually soft, not crunchy, so when you break them, they are hard to snap, while chemically treated bamboo shoots tend to be crunchy and break easily.
- You can also choose by smelling; opt for pieces that have a natural bamboo aroma, slightly sour. If you detect a suspicious chemical smell, do not buy them.
See details: How to choose fresh bamboo shoots correctly
Where to buy black vinegar?
- Black vinegar is a type of vinegar made through the fermentation process of brown rice and sugar,
- You can find black vinegar at markets, supermarkets selling Japanese and Chinese goods, or on reputable e-commerce websites.
- When purchasing, pay attention to the origin, ingredients, place of production, and expiration date printed on the product packaging.
Where to buy bone broth
- For bone broth, you can use chicken or pork bone broth.
- For convenience, you can buy canned or packaged bone broth at grocery stores and e-commerce sites,
- When buying, remember to carefully check the can or box, production date, and expiration date.
- Additionally, you can also make bone broth at home to ensure quality.
How to Make Spicy Sour Soup
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Preparation and Marinating Meat
To remove dirt and odors, after buying, soak the pork in salted water for about 5 – 10 minutes, then take it out and rinse it with clean water, letting it drain.
Use a knife to cut the meat into bite-sized pieces about 1/2 finger thick.
Effective Ways to Eliminate Pork Odor
- To completely eliminate the odor of pork, before cooking, briefly dip the meat in boiling water for about 2 minutes, then take it out and rinse it with cold water.
- Another useful tip is to add a little white wine to the water when blanching the pork. The wine effectively removes the odor.
- Use lemon, vinegar, salt, or ginger to rub on the pork and let it sit for about 5 – 10 minutes before rinsing with water.
See details: Tips to Eliminate Odor from Various Types of Meat That Women Should Know
In a bowl, add 1/3 teaspoon of sugar, 1/2 tablespoon of soy sauce, 1 tablespoon of dried chili, and 1/2 tablespoon of cornstarch, then stir well to combine the seasonings.
Add the mixed sauce and 1/3 of the julienned ginger to the meat and mix well. Marinate the meat for about 15 – 20 minutes for the flavors to penetrate.
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Prepare other ingredients
Fresh shiitake mushrooms should be soaked in diluted salt water for about 5 – 10 minutes, then rinsed clean, drained, and sliced thinly.
Fresh bamboo shoots should be peeled of the outer silk layer. To remove toxins in the bamboo shoots, boil them several times in water until the water is no longer yellow, then drain. Cut the bamboo shoots into small strips about 1/3 of a finger length.
Peel the carrot, wash it clean, and then shred it.
Dry mushrooms should be rinsed with water to remove dirt. Soak the mushrooms in cold water mixed with 1 teaspoon of salt for about 30 – 45 minutes until they are soft, then drain and cut into strips.
Tofu should be washed clean, drained thoroughly, and then cut into strips the same size as the meat.
Ginger should be washed, sliced thinly, and then cut into strips. Green onions and cilantro should have their roots trimmed, washed clean, and then chopped finely.
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Prepare the broth
Put a pot on the stove, add 1.5 liters of bone broth and bring to a boil, then add the marinated pork and cook until done.
Next, add the fresh bamboo shoots and wood ear mushrooms to the pot and continue to boil until the broth comes back to a boil.
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Add mushrooms, vegetables, and stir the soup
Add the shiitake mushrooms to the pot and continue cooking over medium heat until the mushrooms are cooked and the water in the pot comes to a boil again.
Next, add the carrots and ginger to the pot and stir well. Add 1/2 teaspoon of salt, 3 tablespoons of soy sauce, 3 pieces of rock sugar, and 3 tablespoons of black vinegar to the pot.
Reduce the heat and cook for another 3 – 5 minutes for the seasonings to dissolve completely.
Then, add the chopped green onions and diced tofu into the pot and gently stir for about another 2 minutes.
Add 4 tablespoons of cornstarch to a bowl, then mix with 60ml of water, and stir well until the cornstarch is completely dissolved. Gradually pour the cornstarch mixture into the pot while stirring continuously until the soup reaches the desired thickness.
Crack 2 eggs into a bowl, beat them, and then gently pour the eggs into the pot in a spiral motion to create egg swirls.
Finally, add the chopped cilantro, 1 teaspoon of salt, a little pepper, and 1 teaspoon of sesame oil, stir well, and adjust the seasoning to taste to finish.
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Final Product
Spicy sour soup with thick broth, a tangy and spicy flavor that’s just right, combined with the tender and aromatic, rich taste of meat, the chewy texture of mushrooms, and the crispy sweetness of vegetables is very delicious.
This is definitely a nutritious and comforting dish for your whole family on the upcoming rainy days, so let’s show off your cooking skills.
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We hope that with the spicy sour soup recipe recently shared by TasteVN, you will have a very delicious and nutritious meal. Wishing you success!
*Refer to images and recipes from the YouTube channel: Tina Cooking
