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Hot and Sour Soup

This soup is perfect for any time of the year but especially when it is cold outside. My version of a childhood favorite.
Prep Time30 minutes
Cook Time20 minutes
Total Time50 minutes
Course: Soup
Cuisine: Pakistani Chinese
Keyword: Chinese, Indo Chinese cuisine, soup
Servings: 6
Author: Zeeshan Shah

Ingredients

  • 1 2.5 lbs. whole chicken, cut up
  • 5 cups filtered water
  • 3 teaspoons salt
  • 1 teaspoon pepper
  • 1 Roma tomato diced
  • 4 tablespoons rice vinegar
  • 4 tablespoons coconut aminos / soy sauce
  • 1 8 ounce can tomato sauce
  • 2 teaspoons sugar optional
  • 1/2 teaspoon red chili powder
  • 1 green chili chopped
  • 1 medium carrot grated or match sticks
  • 1/4 cabbage grated or sliced thin
  • 5 tablespoon arrowroot powder/ tapioca flour + 1/2 cup water enough to make slurry
  • 1 egg whipped

Garnish

  • green onions/scallions sliced

Instructions

  • In a dutch oven or pot add the chicken and fill it with the filtered water so as to fully dredge the chicken pieces.
  • Add the chopped tomato and season with the salt and pepper.
  • Cover and cook on medium heat.
  • Once the chicken is cooked, about 30 minutes, take out the pieces and set aside for later.
  • You now have a quick chicken stock which should amount to about 5 cups.
  • If there is less, increase the amount so that it equals 5 cups by adding water and seasoning with additional salt and pepper to taste.
  • Add the rice vinegar, coconut aminos, tomato sauce, red chili powder, green chili and sugar.
  • Let it come to a boil on medium high heat.
  • Take 4-5 chicken pieces reserved at the beginning, pick the meat from the bones and chop up. The rest of the meat can be saved for later for sandwiches etc.
  • Add the carrot, cabbage and chicken.
  • Let cook covered on medium low heat for about 5-10 minutes until the cabbage and carrot soften up.
  • Make the arrowroot slurry by combining the arrowroot powder with water.
  • Increase the heat to medium high.
  • Add the slurry to the soup but turn off heat as soon as it thickens up or the arrowroot will breakdown.
  • Gently add the whipped egg and stir to combine. The egg will cook up in the hot soup and form ribbons familiar in Chinese soups.
  • Garnish with scallions and enjoy!

Notes

  • You can cut down cooking time on this soup by using pre made or store bought stock. You can add boiled chicken or even leave it out.
  • You will need more water if you make the slurry with cornflour. About 10 tablespoons.
  • When using store bought vegetable stock, check to see if it has tomatoes in it. I have found the addition of tomato sauce in this case to have a ketchup-y flavor and so in that case you may want to half the amount or leave it out altogether.
Whole 30 Compliance
  • I used arrowroot powder instead of cornstarch but you can easily swap it out if you are not following the Whole 30.
  • Soy sauce can be used instead of coconut aminos if you are not following the Whole 30 and or are not avoiding gluten.
  • Leave the sugar out if you are following the Whole 30.