Hot and sour soup recipe with step by step photos. This is a spicy, sour, and hot vegetable soup from Indo Chinese cuisine. Low fat and vegan.

Come winters and we really look forward to having a hot bowl of soups in the season, even though we are not much of a soup lover. It’s the magic of winters, I think. It is not only soups, but we also prefer steaming hot lentils or veg stews.

Soups are so comforting and warm in this cold and dry season. As a person who loves this season in India, I also look forward to the fresh vegetables and greens available in the local markets.

Sharing today a favorite soup recipe from the fusion Indo Chinese cuisine. This soup recipe is aptly titled hot and sour soup. the hot element comes from ingredients like chilies or black pepper. So either red chili paste or green chili sauce is added. Adding the chili paste and sauce gives the soup its pungent and hot taste. Some folks add black or white pepper to get this quality of heat. In this recipe, I have added black pepper, as it’s easily available at home, then a chili sauce or paste.

The sour element in the soup comes from the vinegar. I have added rice vinegar. You can also use a good quality Chinese vinegar. Even regular white vinegar can be added if you don’t have rice vinegar. Depending on the flavor and quality of the vinegar added, the soup will get its smoky and sour flavor.

Veggies can be of your choice. even bamboo shoots, sprouts, and tofu can be added. You can also add dried mushrooms. Since dried mushrooms are not available here, I have added fresh button mushrooms. another similar spicy and hot soup recipe is the Manchow soup recipe Made from mixed vegetables.

The soup that they serve at restaurants is usually very thick, which we do not like. So I usually keep a slightly thin consistency. But if you want a slightly thick consistency, then just add 1 or 2 tsp more of the corn starch.

This hot and sour soup makes for a good starter recipe with an Indo Chinese menu. The recipe can be easily doubled or tripled. You can also have the leftover soup the next day.

How to make hot and sour soup

Stir-frying veggies

1. First rinse and shred the cabbage and french beans. Wipe the mushrooms with a wet cloth and then slice them. Rinse, peel and grate the carrots. Chop the onions, ginger and garlic. Here I have added red cabbage, but you can easily add green cabbage.

2. Heat 1 tbsp oil in a pan or wok/kadai. add finely chopped onion, ginger and garlic.

3. Stir and saute on a medium flame for 2 minutes.

4. Then add the finely chopped french beans. Stir.

5. Add the sliced mushrooms.

6. on a medium to high flame, stir fry till the mushrooms get lightly browned from the edges.

7. meanwhile make a paste of corn starch and water. Keep aside.

8. Once the mushrooms are lightly browned (takes about 5 to 6 minutes on a medium to high flame) add carrots, cabbage and celery.

9. Stir fry on a high flame for 2 to 3 minutes.

Making hot and sour soup

10. Add water or veg stock.

11. Stir well.

12. Add soy sauce and stir.

13. then season with salt. Keep a check on the amount of salt as soy sauce already has a lot of salt. I added just about one-fourth teaspoon first and adjusted towards the end.

14. bring the soup to a simmer on medium flame.

15. Stir the corn starch paste and add it to the soup.

16. Stir again very well.

17. Allow the soup to thicken on a low to medium flame, which takes a couple of minutes.

18. When the soup has thickened, add black pepper or white pepper.

19. Add rice vinegar or any good quality Chinese vinegar.

20. Give a final stir to the hot and sour soup. Switch off the flame. Check the taste and add more soy sauce, vinegar or salt or black pepper if required.

21. Serve the veg hot and sour soup steaming hot garnished with coriander leaves (cilantro leaves). You can also just mix the coriander leaves in the soup, after adding vinegar and then serve hot n sour soup.

Ingredients

1. 1 small carrot or about 50 grams carrots or ¼ cup grated carrots
2. 5 to 6 button mushrooms or ¾ cup sliced mushrooms
3. ¼ cup shredded cabbage
4. ¼ cup finely chopped french beans
5. 1 small onion, finely chopped or about ¼ cup finely chopped onions
6. 1 teaspoon finely chopped garlic
7. 1 teaspoon finely chopped ginger
8. 2 teaspoon finely chopped celery optional
9. 4 to 5 teaspoon corn starch dissolved in 2 tablespoon water (for a slight thicker consistency in the soup – dissolve 6 to 7 teaspoon corn starch in 3 tablespoon water)
10. ¾ teaspoon black pepper or white pepper or ¾ teaspoon red chili paste or green chili sauce
11. 3 teaspoon soy sauce or add as required
12. 2 teaspoon rice vinegar or add as required
13. 2.5 cups water or veg stock
14. 2 to 3 teaspoon chopped coriander leaves (cilantro leaves)
15. 1 tablespoon oil
16. salt as required

Instructions

Preparation For Hot And Sour Soup

1. First rinse and shred the cabbage and french beans. 
2. Wipe the mushrooms with a wet cloth and then slice them. 
3. Rinse, peel and grate the carrots. Chop the onions, ginger and garlic.

Stir-Frying Veggies For Hot And Sour Soup

1. Heat 1 tbsp oil in a pan or Kadai (wok).
2. Add finely chopped onion, ginger, and garlic. Stir and saute on a medium flame for 2 minutes.
3. Then add the finely chopped french beans. Stir and add the sliced mushrooms.
4. On a medium to high flame, stir fry till the mushrooms get lightly browned from the edges.
5. Meanwhile, make a paste of corn starch and water. Keep aside.
6. Once the mushrooms are lightly browned (takes about 5 to 6 minutes on a medium to high flame) add carrots, cabbage and celery.
7. Stir fry these veggies on a high flame for 2 to 3 minutes.

Making Hot And Sour Soup

1. Add water or veg stock. Stir well. Add soy sauce and stir.
2. Then season with salt. 
3. Keep a check on the amount of salt as soy sauce already has a lot of salt. I added just about one-fourth teaspoon first and adjusted towards the end.
4. Bring the soup to a simmer on medium flame.
5. Stir the corn starch paste and add it to the soup. Stir again very well.
6. Allow the soup to thicken on a low to medium flame.
7. When the hot and sour soup has thickened, add black pepper or white pepper and vinegar.
8. Give a final stir. Switch off the flame. Check the taste and add more soy sauce, vinegar or salt, or black pepper if required.
9. Serve them hot and sour soup steaming hot garnished with cilantro leaves. 
10. You can also just add the cilantro leaves towards the end and then serve the soup.