Hot and Sour Soup in the UK: what it is, how to order it, where to find it
Quick answer
Hot and sour soup is a thick, dark, peppery-and-tangy soup with tofu, mushroom, bamboo and egg, from northern China. Warming and bold, it is one of the most ordered soups on the British Chinese menu. The balance is the point: white pepper for heat, vinegar for sour, against a savoury base, thickened to a velvety body with beaten egg ribboned through.
Calories and nutrition
- Calories
- 180
- Protein
- 12 g
- Carbs
- 16 g
- Fat
- 7 g
- Salt
- 2.6 g
130–250 kcal
Portion: One bowl, about 400 ml.
One of the lighter starters; higher in salt from the soy and stock.
Estimates for a typical portion, based on standard UK and USDA food composition data. Actual values depend on the recipe and the restaurant.
What hot and sour soup is
A savoury stock is filled with shredded tofu, wood-ear and shiitake mushroom, bamboo shoot and often pork or chicken, seasoned heavily with white pepper (the heat) and black or rice vinegar (the sour), darkened with soy, thickened with cornflour, and finished with beaten egg drawn through in threads and a drop of sesame oil. The heat comes from pepper, not chilli, in the traditional northern version, though some add chilli oil. It should be thick enough to coat the spoon, dark, and sharply balanced between hot and sour. Sichuan has its own hotter, numbing version.
How to judge it
The two flavours should both be assertive and in balance: if it is only sour or only peppery, it is off. The texture should be velvety and thick, not watery, with the egg in fine ribbons and plenty of shredded vegetables. A thin, pale, timid version is the low end. It is best very hot, and it is the soup to order on a cold day or when you feel a cold coming on.
Hot and sour versus wonton
Hot and sour is northern, bold, thick and spicy-tangy. Wonton is Cantonese, clear and delicate. If you want comfort and gentleness, wonton; if you want a warming, punchy soup, hot and sour. They are the two poles of the UK Chinese soup list.
Where it is done well in the UK
Northern Chinese and Sichuan restaurants make the boldest versions; most Chinese restaurants offer a version. Our directory lists areas with the most Chinese restaurants.
How to order it
Order hot and sour soup when you want a bold, warming starter; ask for it authentic at a northern or Sichuan restaurant for a punchier version. Both the heat and the sourness should be assertive. It should be thick and dark, not watery. Good on a cold day.
Where it's done well
UK councils with the most hot and sour soup specialists, by restaurant name, in our directory.
Restaurants near you
Search by postcode or use your location to find restaurants likely to serve hot and sour soup near you.
Make it at home
Serves 4 · 30 min
Ingredients
- 1 litre chicken stock
- 100 g firm tofu, shredded
- 50 g mushrooms (wood-ear and shiitake if possible), sliced
- 50 g bamboo shoots, shredded
- 100 g pork or chicken, shredded, optional
- 3 tbsp rice or black vinegar
- 1.5 tsp white pepper
- 2 tbsp soy
- 2 tbsp cornflour in water
- 1 egg, beaten
- sesame oil, spring onion
Method
- Bring the stock to a simmer with the soy. Add the meat if using, then the tofu, mushrooms and bamboo, and cook a few minutes.
- Add the vinegar and white pepper; taste and balance the hot and the sour.
- Stir in the cornflour slurry and simmer until thickened.
- Turn off the heat and pour in the beaten egg in a thin stream, stirring once so it sets in ribbons. Finish with sesame oil and spring onion.
White pepper, not chilli, gives the traditional heat; balance it against the vinegar to taste. Draw the egg in slowly for fine ribbons.