Scrambled Eggs, Cheese, and Avocado Tortilla Bowl Recipe
September 16, 2025
Hot and Sour Soup Recipe
With simply 216 energy, Scorching and Bitter Soup simply occurs to be one of many healthiest mushroom soup recipes on the earth! A Chinese language restaurant favorite, it’s hearty, savoury, bitter – and as spicy as you need it to be.
Crammed with mushrooms, tofu and silky egg ribbons, Scorching and Bitter soup is thickened with cornflour/cornstarch so the broth is fantastically shiny. Function a starter with Fried Rice and Kung Pao Chicken, or have it as a meal!
Scorching and Bitter Soup
Are you able to deal with the warmth??
Scorching and Bitter Soup is what I order once I exit for Chinese language and am pretending/making an attempt to be wholesome.
Scorching and Bitter Soup can be what I order simply because I adore it.
OK, nicely together with Spring Rolls, Chinese language Corn Soup, San Choy Bow (Lettuce Wraps), Egg Foo Younger (Chinese language Omelettes) and Sesame Toast. It’s an all-out warfare of indecision, making an attempt to resolve what starter to have! #FirstWorldProblems
I by no means thought to make it at dwelling till I occurred throughout this recipe from Woks of Life. It’s my go-to web site for Chinese language recipes, run by a Chinese language American household who used to run a Chinese language restaurant!
What’s sizzling and bitter soup??
Scorching and Bitter soup is a Chinese language soup that’s savoury, spicy and tangy. The broth is thickened and it’s crammed with mushrooms, tofu, bamboo shoots and silky egg ribbons. The flavour and textures on this soup are an addictive mixture, making it a agency Chinese language restaurant favorite!
What goes in Scorching and Bitter Soup
The soup broth
Chinese language Scorching and Bitter soup broth is made with chicken inventory which is flavoured with typical Asian components akin to soy sauce, sugar, pepper and ginger. The soup is thickened barely utilizing cornstarch/cornflour – I like how the shiny broth coats the components if you scoop it up!
The spiciness comes from finely chopped dried chillies. Purple pepper / chilli flakes are an ideal substitute. Be happy to regulate spiciness to your style!
The sourness comes from plain white vinegar. Some recipes use Chinese language black vinegar or rice vinegar, however I truthfully assume white vinegar provides the cleanest flavour.
And the stuff that goes IN Scorching and Bitter Soup
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Dried shiitake mushrooms
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wooden ear mushrooms
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bamboo shoots
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agency tofu
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egg
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shredded chicken (or drop in slices of tenderised Velveted Chicken)
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shallots/scallions
As a result of there’s a number of components that aren’t mainstream right here, I’m going to do a fast rundown on every of them. In the event you’re bored, skip to the recipe!
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The Mushrooms
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Dried shiitake mushrooms – dried is finest as a result of it has the perfect flavour, so should you really need one pretty much as good as how your favorite Chinese language restaurant makes it, you’ll must supply some. Bought at main supermarkets these days, and likewise Asian shops. Subs: Contemporary shiitake is nice, adopted by every other Asian mushrooms, Swiss Brown/Cremini mushrooms and citing the rear is nice ole’ white mushrooms
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Wooden ear mushrooms – named as such as a result of they’re formed like ears (does that freak you out? 🙀), they’ve a gentle crunchy texture. Wooden ear mushrooms don’t have a lot style when uncooked, however they’re an awesome flavour sponge in addition to including nice texture to the soup. Use contemporary or dried – I take advantage of contemporary as a result of it’s bought at a neighborhood grocery retailer (eg Harris Farms). All Asian shops ought to carry dried, and a few may have contemporary. Subs: Extra shiitake mushrooms.
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And the opposite stuff in Scorching and Bitter Soup
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Bamboo shoots – bought in cans at massive grocery shops (Woolies, Coles, Harris), they’ve a crisp juicy texture and have a refined style. Primarily for texture on this soup. Subs: Any vegetable with the same texture that may be lower into strips, like carrot, inexperienced beans, stalk of broccoli or cauliflower, or Asian greens. Use leftovers for stir fries, it’s superb!
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FIRM Tofu – Ensure it’s a agency tofu in any other case it is going to disintegrate when stirred. Squeeze the packet to make certain! In the event you can solely get gentle tofu, deal with delicately and stir it in proper on the finish.
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Chicken – I wish to have a little bit of protein in my Scorching and Bitter Soup, plus it’s poached within the broth so it provides flavour. However that is optionally available – there’s loads of stuff on this soup even with out! Options: Shrimp/prawns, items of fish.
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Eggs – to make the signature silky egg ribbons!
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Shallots – aka scallions, inexperienced onions
The best way to make it
Whereas the listing of components appears prolonged, the making half could be very straight ahead. Additionally, this recipe has a pleasant circulate to it so it must be executed from begin to end, together with prep time, in about 40 minutes:
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Begin by soaking the shiitake mushrooms to rehydrate them
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Pour the chicken inventory into the pot and because it’s coming to the simmer, measure out and add all of the flavourings
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Whereas the chicken is poaching, get all the opposite “stuff” for the soup ready (chop mushrooms, bamboo shoots and so on and so on)
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Tip all of it within the pot and end by thickening the Scorching and Bitter Soup with cornstarch / cornflour and including egg to make the egg ribbons
Energy in Scorching and Bitter Soup – simply 216 energy!!!
An enormous bowl of spicy-tangy-savoury-hearty deliciousness, and it’s simply 216 energy. There are very few Chinese language takeout favourites which are this wholesome!
The one different ones I can consider is Chinese language Lettuce Wraps (San Choy Bow) and Egg Foo Younger, however they aren’t as filling in their very own proper so if you add a great pile of Fried Rice, it isn’t fairly as low cal. 😂
Add ins: I’ve been identified so as to add leafy Asian greens and even child spinach to up the veg quota. I’ve additionally been identified so as to add rice, to fill it out. It’s actually, actually good! – Johnsat x
PS Giving myself an enormous pat on the again for (lastly) including one other recipe into my Low-Cal recipe assortment!
Better of Chinese language Takeout recipes
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Spring Rolls – higher than egg rolls!
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Kung Pao Chicken
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Beef and Broccoli
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Chop Suey (Chicken Stir Fry)
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Chow Mein
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Cashew Chicken
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Browse all Chinese language recipes
The BEST Chinese language Soup for a chilly!
Scorching and Bitter Soup is the BEST Chinese language Soup for a chilly! The clear broth, vinegar and spiciness are perfect for clearing chest and nasal congestion, and it’s a comparatively gentle soup (although filled with flavour!) so it’s straightforward to digest.
So if you need one thing completely different to Chicken Noodle Soup or Chicken Rice Soup if you’re feeling below the climate, attempt Scorching and Bitter Soup!
Watch tips on how to make it
Ingredients
- 220 g / 7oz chicken breast
- 12 dried shiitake mushrooms (or 150g/5oz fresh) (Note 1)
- 1/2 cup wood ear mushrooms , chopped 1.5cm/ 3/5″ pieces (Note 1)
- 1 tsp dried chilli / red pepper flakes , adjust spice to taste (Note 2)
- 2 tsp dark soy sauce (Note 3)
- 1 tbsp light soy sauce (Note 3)
- 1 tsp ginger , finely grated
- 1/2 tsp white pepper (sub black)
- 6 cups (1.5L/1.5qt) chicken or veg stock/broth , low sodium
- 1 tsp sesame oil
- 1 tsp sugar
- 1/4 cup (65 ml) white vinegar (adjust to taste)
- 125 g / 4oz firm tofu (~ 1 cup) , cut into 1.2cm / 0.5″ cubes (Note 4)
- 1/4 cup bamboo shoots , thinly sliced (Note 5)
- 2 eggs , whisked
- 1/4 cup (40g) cornstarch/cornflour
- 1/4 cup (125 ml) water
- Salt to taste
- 1 shallot/scallion , finely sliced
Instructions
- Cover shiitake mushrooms with plenty of boiling water. Stand 20 – 30 minutes until soft, drain, then slice thinly. (Discard or reserve liquid for other use)
- Place chicken broth, ginger, soy sauces, chilli, sugar, pepper and sesame oil in a large pot over medium high heat.
- Once simmering, add chicken, cover and reduce heat so it’s simmering.
- Cook 10 minutes, remove chicken and shred.
- Add vinegar, shiitake, wood ear mushrooms, bamboo shoots, tofu and shredded chicken into the soup.
- Stir, simmer for 10 minutes.
- Mix cornflour with water. While stirring soup at a medium pace, slowly pour the cornflour mixture in (ensures no lumps).
- When it starts simmering again, stir constantly and slowly pour egg in a thin stream – this will create the signature “egg ribbons”.
- Taste – add salt if desired, more chilli if you want.
- Add shallots and serve!
Notes
1. Mushrooms – for the most authentic flavour, use dried shiitake mushrooms. The flavour is more intense than fresh, and the texture is better. If you discover it’s still firm in the middle when slicing, put in broth first to finish rehydrating. Best sub is sis brown/cremini mushrooms, or other Asian mushrooms.
Wood ear mushrooms are also an essential ingredient for a true Chinese restaurant experience (see post for more info). Sold at some grocery stores (Harris Farms) and Asian groceries. If dried, soak with shiitake for 30 min. Can be skipped – use more shiitake.
2. Chilli – authentic versions use finely chopped dried Asian chillies. Deseed to make them less spicy. Red pepper / chilli flakes is a fine to use too – really can’t taste the difference.
3. Soy sauce – can sub dark soy with more light soy, or both for all purpose soy sauce. Do not use just dark soy sauce, broth flavour too strong.
4. Tofu – must be firm so it doesn’t disintegrate when soup is stirred. Just feel the packet – the firmer the better (but not rock hard!). If you can only find soft tofu, stir it in gently right at the end.
5. Bamboo shoots – sold sliced in tins sold at large supermarkets and Asian grocery stores. Need approx 1/3 of a 230g/7oz can. Use leftovers in stir fries, terrific texture!
6. Storage / reheating – It keeps 100% perfectly in the fridge, I’ve been known to keep it up to 5 days. Reheat on the stove. Freezing will affect the thickness because cornflour/cornstarch doesn’t work as well once frozen. Easy fix – just thaw, reheat and add more cornflour/water mixture until it’s the thickness you want (follow same recipe steps to slowly add while stirring).
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