Hot and Sour Soup with Wild Mushrooms

4.50 from 4 votes

Classic hot and sour soup with wood ear mushrooms and yellowfeet.

Prep Time20

Cook Time20

Total Time40

Course: Appetizer, Soup

Cuisine: American, Chinese

Keyword: Wood Ear, Yellowfoot chanterelle

Servings: Servings

Calories: 116kcal

Author: Alan Bergo

4 cups light chicken stock
½ teaspoon grated ginger ½ inch piece
¼ inch slice galangal optional
2 tablespoons rice wine vinegar
2 teaspoons red hot sauce such as sambal, chili garlic (or to taste, if you use the optional chili oil, go light)
2 tablespoons mushroom ketchup made from light colored mushrooms or use soy or fish sauce
2 oz fresh yellowfoot chanterelles smallest possible or another fresh mushroom like buna-shimeji or shiitake
5 grams dried wood ear mushrooms or ½ cup fresh
A few drops of toasted sesame oil

Whack the galangal if using with the back of a knife to release it’s aroma.
Pour hot water over the wood ear mushrooms to cover and allow to hydrate for 15 minutes.
Remove the mushrooms, discard their liquid (there isn’t much flavor in it and remember the goal is to keep the color light here) julienne the mushrooms ¼ inch and reserve.

Heat all the soup ingredients including the mushrooms until simmering and allow to bubble gently for 10 minutes so the galangal can add some aroma. When the soup is hot and simmering, stir in the cornstarch slurry, along with the tofu and allow to thicken, a minute or two.

Finally, and very carefully, stir the soup clockwise a few times vigorously, then gently drizzle in the egg moving in a clockwise motion with the still swirling soup. Once the egg has coagulated into beautiful ribbons, toss in the scallions and cilantro, divide portions between four soup cups, drizzle with the chili oil if using and serve.

This is an excellent recipe for using up wood ear fungus, but many others can be used too. Here's a few examples of mushroom types I'd use.