Hot & Sour Soup

Ingredients:

  • 4 Tablespoons of mirin (sweet vineger)
  • 3 Tb of water
  • 1 Tb of sake (or cooking sherry or white wine)
  • 2 Tb of soy sauce
  • Dash of Black Pepper
  • 2 Tb of oil
  • 1 knob of ginger (1 inch cube) shredded
  • 1 cup of dried shitakes (soaked in hot water for at least 20 minutes, then drained and sliced- save the water)
  • 1 cup of fresh shitakes, sliced
  • 4-6 cloves of chopped garlic
  • 2 cups of water (preferably the water used for the dried mushrooms)
  • 2 1/2 cups stock
  • At least one tablespoon of red chili flakes (the more the better!) and preferably a dry chili or two for the pot
  1. Mix the mirin, sake, water, soy sauce, and pepper in a small bowl and set it aside for a bit.
  2. In a large pot, saute the mushrooms in the oil with the ginger and the garlic for about two minutes.
  3. Add the water, bring it to a boil, and add the stock and chili pepper.
  4. Bring the soup to a boil for a minute and then let it simmer for another thirty. Stir occasionally.
  5. Right before serving, add the vinegar mixture to the soup and stir.

Notes & Comments

This is a new one for us... It makes about 4 bowls, and is hearalded as very good if you feel a cold coming on. You can add tofu, bamboo, peas or others with the stock for more pizazz! We really enjoy tofu in this soup.