confession time: when i’m sick i don’t want chicken noodle soup.

i don’t really care for it.  i mean, in a moment of desperation i will whip up some lipton double noodle envelope soup, but then it gets a healthy dose of frank’s red hot sauce or a good dash of cajun seasoning, because i would like to breathe again.

growing up, whenever my mom would get sick, we would get chinese takeout so she could smother whatever she ordered in hot mustard, in hopes of clearing out her sinuses.  i think this is how i came to love hot & sour soup as a remedy…soup for it’s healing & comforting properties, hot & sour for the decongestant.

this version below is better than any takeout.  the ingredients are easily identifiable {i’ve seen some questionable things floating in my takeout soup before} & the flavor is spot on, without any of that strange gloppiness characteristic of chinese takeout.  & it’s really easy, so even if you feel like you’re on death’s doorstep, you can probably handle this!

HOT & SOUR SOUP

serves 4

1 16 oz package mushrooms, sliced
1 to 2 teaspoons ginger, minced
6 cups vegetable stock
1 teaspoon sugar
2 tablespoons soy sauce
2 tablespoons rice vinegar
1 teaspoon toasted sesame oil
sriracha, to taste
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
2 eggs, beaten
1 can bamboo shoots, drained
1 14oz package firm tofu, cut into bite sized squares
salt, to taste
2 scallions, finely chopped

1.  in a large pot, saute mushrooms & ginger, over medium heat, until mushrooms are soft & translucent.  add the vegetable stock & stir, scraping up any bits from the bottom of the pot.

2.  in a small bowl, whisk together sugar, soy sauce, rice vinegar, toasted sesame oil, sriracha & pepper.  add to the soup.  adjust heat & sourness by adding more sriracha or rice vinegar, if necessary.

3.  raise the heat & bring soup to a boil.  while soup is boiling, pour in the beaten eggs in a small stream, stirring gently to break up the stream of eggs.  it should look like egg drop soup.

4.  reduce heat to a simmer, add bamboo shoots & tofu.  simmer for 5 minutes & adjust seasoning, if necessary.  ladle into bowls & top with chopped scallions.

from serious heat, serious eats