Hot and Sour Soup (Suan La Tang)

Yield 4 to 6 servings

Several ingredient lines are for divided quantities so read and follow the recipe carefully. This pot will easily serve 4 as a one-dish meal. Six people will require a few other dishes on the menu.



  1. In a bowl, combine the 1/4 teaspoon salt, 1 teaspoon soy sauce, 1 teaspoon rice wine, 2 teaspoons cornstarch, and 1 teaspoon water. Add the beef or pork, stirring to coat well. Set aside.
  2. In a 3- or 4-quart pot, heat the oil over high heat. Add the ginger and cook, stirring frequently, for 1 minute, until the ginger is super fragrant. Add the bamboo shoot (or lily bulbs) and mushrooms, stir for about 15 seconds until you can smell their perfume, then add the stock.
  3. Bring to a boil, lower to a simmer, then add the remaining 1 1/2 tablespoons soy sauce and 1 tablespoon rice wine. Taste and season with salt and white pepper. Aim for a spicy kick and savory depth. (If not serving right away, turn off the heat and cover.)
  4. Before serving, return the soup to a simmer and add the pork and tofu, stirring to separate. Meanwhile, combine the remaining 1/4 cup cornstarch with the remaining 6 tablespoons water, stirring to dissolve.
  5. When the meat has just cooked through and the soup returns to a simmer, give the cornstarch a final stir, then gradually add to the soup. You may not need the entire amount. Aim to create a silky thick soup that’s not gloppy. The tofu should seem suspended in the soup but eventually fall to the bottom of the pot.
  6. When satisfied, give the egg a final stir, then pour it into the soup pot in a wide circle. Stir gently as the egg solidifies into suspended ribbons. Then add the vinegar, gently stirring. Taste and adjust the flavor with additional salt, white pepper, and/or vinegar. Ladle into a serving bowl or individual soup bowls. Scatter the green onion on top and serve immediately.    


This recipe was very slightly tweaked from the one I have in Asian Tofu (Ten Speed Press, 2012). 

Courses lunch, dinner

Cuisine Chinese

Recipe by Viet World Kitchen at