Hot and Sour Soup with Shiitake, Tofu and Pork Ribbons

By Sprig Originals ✓ · cooked up in Sprig

A deeply savory, peppery-tart soup built on a rich chicken broth, loaded with shiitake, wood ear mushrooms, silky tofu and velveted pork. Thickened with a whisper of xanthan gum instead of cornstarch so it keeps that classic glossy body with almost no carbs, then finished with egg ribbons, black vinegar and chili oil.

Ingredients

• 8 oz boneless pork loin, sliced into thin matchsticks
• 2 tsp soy sauce
• 1 tsp toasted sesame oil
• 1/4 tsp ground white pepper

• 1/3 cup dried wood ear mushrooms
• 6 cup chicken broth
• 1 tbsp avocado oil
• 1 tbsp finely grated fresh ginger
• 2 clove garlic, minced
• 6 oz fresh shiitake mushrooms, stemmed and thinly sliced
• 1/2 cup canned sliced bamboo shoots, drained and cut into strips
• 8 oz firm tofu, cut into 1/4-inch batons
• 3 tbsp unseasoned rice vinegar
• 2 tbsp Chinkiang black vinegar
• 2 tbsp soy sauce
• 1 tsp ground white pepper
• 1/2 tsp granulated allulose or monk fruit sweetener
• 1/2 tsp xanthan gum
• 2 large eggs, beaten

• 2 tsp toasted sesame oil
• 1 tbsp Sichuan chili oil
• 3 scallions, thinly sliced
• 2 tbsp cilantro leaves

Instructions

1. Place the dried wood ear mushrooms in a bowl, cover with 2 cups of very hot tap water, and soak 15 minutes until fully softened and springy. Drain, trim off any hard nubs, and slice into thin strips.
2. Meanwhile, toss the pork matchsticks with 2 teaspoons soy sauce, 1 teaspoon sesame oil and 1/4 teaspoon white pepper. Let sit at room temperature while you prep the vegetables.
3. Heat the avocado oil in a large pot or Dutch oven over medium-high heat until it shimmers, about 1 minute. Add the ginger and garlic and stir constantly for 30 seconds, just until fragrant, then add the sliced shiitakes and cook 4 to 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until they have released their liquid and started to brown at the edges.
4. Pour in the chicken broth and add the wood ears and bamboo shoots. Bring to a gentle boil over high heat, then reduce to a steady simmer and cook 8 minutes so the mushrooms perfume the broth.
5. Stir in the marinated pork a small pinch at a time so the strips stay separate. Simmer 2 to 3 minutes, until the pork is just opaque throughout. Add the tofu batons and simmer 2 minutes more, stirring gently so they stay intact.
6. Add the rice vinegar, black vinegar, 2 tablespoons soy sauce, 1 teaspoon white pepper and the allulose. Taste and adjust: the soup should be aggressively sour and peppery, since it mellows off the heat.
7. Turn the heat to low so the soup is barely bubbling. Sprinkle the xanthan gum over the surface in a very thin, even dusting while whisking briskly and continuously for 30 seconds, then let the soup sit 1 to 2 minutes to hydrate. It should thicken to a light, glossy, spoon-coating body. Whisk again to break up any small lumps.
8. With the soup at a bare simmer, stir slowly in one direction with a spoon while pouring the beaten eggs in a thin stream over the surface. Stop stirring and let stand 20 seconds so the eggs set into long ribbons.
9. Turn off the heat and stir in the 2 teaspoons sesame oil. Ladle into bowls, drizzle each with chili oil, and top generously with scallions and cilantro. Serve immediately.

Chef's tips

Nutrition (per serving, estimated)

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