Hot and Sour Soup?

[Mandy]

I love to get hot and sour soup for lunch at the Chinese place down to street from my office...but I have no idea how many calories or fat it has. Does anyone know? Also, what about a receipe for it? I'd love to make it myself, but have no idea where to start.
Thanks,
Mandy http://www.cookinglight.com/bbs/smile.gif

[MrsReber]

Hi Mandy. I am not a big hot and sour soup person, but I did find this recipe. It doesn't look too high in fat, either, and it seemed to have gotten good reviews.

HOT AND SOUR SOUP WITH GINGER

87% would make it again

4 cups canned low-salt chicken broth
1 1/2 ounces dried shiitake mushrooms
5 tablespoons rice vinegar
2 tablespoons cornstarch


1 1/2 tablespoons oriental sesame oil
3 tablespoons minced peeled fresh ginger
1 10.5-ounce package extra-fine or firm tofu, cut into 1/4-inch dice
1 ounce bean thread noodles or angel hair pasta, broken in half
1 tablespoon soy sauce
1/2 teaspoon dried crushed red pepper
Pinch of sugar

Combine broth and mushrooms in bowl. Let stand until mushrooms soften, about 20 minutes. Remove mushroom from broth and squeeze dry over bowl with broth; reserve broth. Discard mushroom stems; thinly slice caps. Combine vinegar and cornstarch in small bowl; stir to blend.

Heat oil in large saucepan over high heat. Add ginger; sauté 30 seconds. Pour in reserved broth, leaving behind any sediment. Bring to boil. Add tofu, noodles, soy sauce, red pepper, sugar and mushrooms. Reduce heat to medium-low, cover and simmer 5 minutes. Add cornstarch mixture; stir until slightly thickened, about 1 minute.

Serves 4.


Bon Appétit
April 1994

[JodiL]

Mandy, I'm not sure exactly, but on the Weight Watcher system it has 2 points for a cup of soup. So, I'm guessing it has about 100-120 calories and only 1-2 grams of fat. Hope that helps.

Jodi

[Mandy]

Thanks for your help.
MrsReber-I'll give that recipe a try.

JodiL-Thanks for the info., that does help!

-Mandy

[Gail]

Hi Mandy,

In going through my "stuff" I came up with five variations on hot and sour soup before I decided the pile of books was getting too heavy! The only reason I'm typing this one first is because it's the only one from a health-conscious publication and gives you some clue as to caloric content.

HOT AND SOUR SOUP I

10 large dried black mushrooms
1/2 cup tree ear funfi (approximately)
1/3 cup tiger lily stems (golden needles)
2 tablespoons cornstarch
3 tablespoons water
3/4 cup diced uncooked chicken breast
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 tablespoon soy sauce
1 can (8 oz) bamboo shoots, sliced
6 cups chicken stock, or 3 cans (10 3/4 oz each) chicken broth, strained, plus 2 cans water
3 tablespoons white vinegar
1 tablespoon dark soy sauce (if dark soy sauce is not available, make your own by mixing 2 tsp regular soy sauce with 1 tsp molasses)
2 cakes tofu, cubed
2 tsp chili oil
1/2 to 1 tsp ground white pepper
2 egg whites, beaten
4 green onions, slice

Place mushrooms, tree ears, and tiger lily stems in a small bowl and cover with boiling water. In about 15 minutes or when they are soft, drain off the water and chop off stems or any hard parts.
Slice mushrooms and tree ears and pull tiger lily stems into shreds. Set aside.
Combine cornstarch and water into a smooth paste. Set aside.
In a heated wok or skillet, sauté chicken in oil until chicken is cooked through.
Stir in regular soy sauce.
Stir in mushrooms, tree ears, tiger lily stems, and bamboo shoots.
Add chicken stock, vinegar, and dark soy sauce.
Stir cornstarch mixture into soup. Let thicken.
Add tofu and bring soup to a boil.
Stir in the chili oil and white pepper.
Turn off the heat for 1 mintute and then slowly pour the egg whites into the soup, stirring constantly.
Garnish each bowl of soup with chopped green onions.

Makes 10 one-cup servings
Per serving: 105 total calories; 5 sat-fat calories
(From Eater's Choice: A Food Lover's Guide to Lower Cholesterol)

The next recipe is from Martin Yan. Since a lot of restaurants serve sizzling rice hot and sour soup, I thought yours might, too. (More oil, though, because of deep-frying)

SIZZLING RICE HOT AND SOUR SOUP

Makes 4 to 6 servings

4 dried black mushrooms
5 cups chicken broth
1 chicken breast half, skinned, boned, and cut into matchstick pieces
1/4 cup slivered bamboo shoots
1/2 cup rice vinegar
2 tablespoons soy sauce
1 green onion (including top), cut into 2-inch slivers
1 teaspoon finely chopped cilantro (Chinese parsley)
1 teaspoon hot pepper sauce
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon white pepper
3 tablespoons cornstarch mixed with 1/4 cup water
1 egg, lightly beaten
Vegetable oil for deep frying
8 two-inch square rice crusts

Preparation

Soak mushrooms in warm water to cover for 30 minutes, drain. Cut off and discard stems and thinly slice caps. Set aside.

Cooking

Bring broth to a boil over medium-high heat in a large pot. Add chicken and cook, stirring occasionally, for 3 minutes. Stir in mushrooms, bamboo shoots, vinegar, soy sauce, green onion, cilantro, hot pepper sauce, salt and white pepper. Return to a boil. Add cornstarch solution and cook, stirring, until soup thickens slightly. Remove pot from heat and slowly drizzle in egg, stirring constantly. Keep warm while preparing rice crusts.

Set wok in a ring stand and add oil to a depth of about 2 inches. Over high heat, bring oil to 375ºF. Add rice crusts, half at a time, and cook, turning constantly, for 15 seconds or until puffed. Lift out and drain on paper towels. Cook remaining rice crusts. Pour hot soup into a warmed serving bowl and carry to the table.Bring hot fried rice crusts to the table and carefully slide into the soup.

Tip: Look for rice crusts in Chinese markets. To make your own rice crusts:

Combine 1 cup medium or short-grain rice and 1 cup water in a medium saucepan. Cover and bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce heat to low ans simmer for 25 minutes. Turn off heat and let stand for 5 minutes. Spread cooked rice in a 1/4 inch thick layer in a greased, shallow baking pan. Cut into 1 1/2 to 2 inch squares with a wet knife. Bake in a 350ºF oven for 50 minutes or until rice squares are firm and dry. Store rice crusts in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 6 months.

(From: A Wok for All Seasons)

This last one is from The Frugal Gourmet, who to my mind is one of the most reliable chefs out there for consistently good food. Maybe it isn't 100 per cent authentic (I don't know) but his things are always good.

HOT AND SOUR SOUP III
Serves 8 - 10

6 cups chicken stock
2 tablespoons light soy sauce
1/4 pound lean pork, cut into 1/4 inch dice
6 dried Chinese mushrooms, soaked for 3 hours, drained and cut julienne
3/4 teaspoon ground white pepper or more to taste
5 tablespoons cornstarch mixed with 5 tablespoons water
Salt, if necessary
1/2 cup bamboo shoots, cut thin julienne
1/4 cup dried black fungus ("cloud ears" or "tree ears") soaked for 1 hour, drained, and shredded
1 cake bean curd, cut into 1/2 inch cubes
4 eggs, beaten

GARNISH
Cooked ham, cut into slivers
Green onions, chopped
Sesame oilto taste, a few drops
Grated carrot
Fresh-ground black pepper to taste

Bring the stock to a simmer and add the soy, pork, and mushrooms. Simmer for 10 minutes, add the pepper and vinegar, and thicken with the cornstarch mixed with water. Taste for seasonings and add the bamboo, fungus and bean curd. Bring to a simmer again and pour in the eggs in a very thin stream over the surface of the soup. Count to ten and stir a few times very slowly. Egg threads will have formed. Add the garnishes to the pot and serve. You may wish to add additional vinegar.
You may wish to add more fresh-ground black pepper as well.

VARIATION: IF you really want this to be "hot," try adding some garlic and red chili paste. That will make them sit up at the table!

(From The Frugal Gourmet Cooks Three Ancient Cuisines)