Hot and sour soup, a tangy, peppery bowl of broth and veggies, gets a fresh update with asparagus, but any of your favorite vegetables work nicely here. Since some restaurant versions are loaded with salt and MSG, it’s much better to make your own at home — and season the broth with just enough flavorful tamari to balance the black pepper and vinegar.
Ingredients
- 4 cups (960 ml) no-salt added vegetable stock
- 2 medium dried shiitake mushrooms
- 2 teaspoons (10 ml) tamari soy sauce
- 12 ounces (340 grams) firm tofu, drained
- 1/4 cup (60 ml) rice vinegar
- 1 tablespoon (15 ml) cornstarch
- 1 1/2 teaspoons (7.5 ml) ground black pepper
- 1 cup (240 ml) carrot, chopped
- 10 spears asparagus, chopped
- 5 ounces (125 g) snap peas, trimmed
- 1 teaspoon (5 ml) dark sesame oil
- 1/4 cup (60 ml) chopped scallions
Directions
In a large pot, combine the stock, dried mushrooms and tamari and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to low and cover for 10 minutes to infuse the stock with mushroom flavor.
Wrap the tofu with a kitchen towel and press lightly to remove excess water, then cut in cubes.
In a cup, whisk the rice vinegar, cornstarch and pepper. Reserve.
Uncover the pot and add the carrots, increase the heat to medium and cook for 5 minutes. Add the asparagus, snap peas, tofu and sesame oil, and then stir in the rice vinegar mixture. Stir for about 2 minutes, just until the vegetables are crisp-tender and the soup is slightly thickened and glossy.
Stir in scallions and serve.
Serves: 4 | Serving Size: 1 3/4 cup
Nutrition (per serving): Calories: 126; Total Fat: 4g; Saturated Fat: 1g; Monounsaturated Fat: 1g; Cholesterol: 0g; Sodium: 332g; Carbohydrate: 14g; Dietary Fiber: 4g; Sugar: 7g; Protein: 8g
