Hot and Sour Soup for after your Hike

Ready in just 20 minutes…this winter warmer is perfect for a post-hike treat. This soup is a low-calorie, high-protein dish that’s rich in vitamin C and essential minerals. It helps with digestion, boost metabolism, and supports a healthy immune system.

Ingredients

·       2 litres of chicken or vegetable stock

·       250g shiitake mushrooms thinly sliced with stems discarded

·       1 (225g) can bamboo shoots, drained

·       ¼ cup rice vinegar

·       ¼ cup soy sauce

·       2 teaspoons minced ginger

·       1 teaspoon chilli garlic sauce

·       ¼ cup cornflour

·       2 large eggs, whisked

·       250 g firm tofu, cut into 1cm cubes

·       4 shallots, thinly sliced

·       1 teaspoon toasted sesame oil

·       White pepper (or black pepper)

1.      Set aside ¼ cup of the stock for later use.

2.      Add the remaining stock, mushrooms, bamboo shoots, rice wine vinegar, soy sauce, ginger and chilli garlic sauce to a large stock pot and stir to combine.  Bring to a simmer

3.      Meanwhile whisk together the ¼ cup of stock and cornflour in a small bowl until completely smooth.  Once the soup has reached a simmer, stir in the cornflour mixture and stir for 1 minute or so until the soup has thickened.

4.      Continue stirring the soup in a circular motion, then drizzle in the eggs in a thin stream (while still stirring the soup) to create egg ribbons.  Stir in the tofu, half of the green onions, and sesame oil.  Then season the soup with a pinch of white pepper (or black pepper) to taste.

5.      If you’d like a more “sour” soup, feel free to add in another tablespoon or two of rice wine vinegar as well.  Or if you’d like a spicier soup, add in more chilli garlic sauce.