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Dish of 23 Jan 2008
SICHUAN HOT AND SOUR SOUP
4 servings
The Sichuan district of China stakes its claim to this tart and peppery soup and this family version features tofu, dried mushrooms, dried black fungus, squid and chicken. Invest in a good bottle of aged black vinegar to add the tartness to this dish.
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125 g chicken breast, cut into thin slices and then into thin strips
10 ml (2 teaspoons) soy sauce
5 ml (1 teaspoon) fresh ginger, very finely chopped
250 ml (1 cup) soft bean curd, cut into small dice
5 dried Chinese mushrooms, soaked in boiling water for 25 minutes
3 cm square of dried black fungus, soaked in boiling water for 30 minutes
1-liter chicken stock
60 ml (1/4 cup) bamboo shoots, sliced
15 ml (1 tablespoon) fresh ginger, finely chopped
15 ml (1 tablespoon) soy sauce
30 ml (2 tablespoons) aged black vinegar
15 ml (1 tablespoon) chilli oil
5 ml (1 teaspoon) salt
5 ml (1 teaspoon) white pepper
30 ml (2 tablespoons) corn flour, dissolved in 30 ml of cold water
60 g squid meat cut into thin slices
6 cherry tomatoes, halved
45 ml (3 tablespoons) spring onions, finely sliced
45 ml (3 tablespoons) fresh coriander leaves
10 ml (2 teaspoons) sesame oil
1. Combine the chicken, 2 teaspoons soy sauce and ginger in a small bowl and marinate for 30 minutes.
2. Drain the mushrooms and black fungus, reserving 1 cup of the soaking liquid. Pour the soaking liquid through a fine-mesh strainer into a large saucepan. Remove and discard the mushroom stems and cut the mushrooms into thin slices. Cut the fungus into thin slices. Transfer the mushrooms and fungus to the mushroom liquid in the saucepan.
3. Add the chicken stock, chicken, bamboo shoots, ginger, soy sauce, black vinegar, chilli oil, salt and white pepper. Bring to a boil, reduce the heat and simmer for 1 to 2 minutes. Stir in the corn flour, and simmer, stirring slowly, until the soup thickens slightly.
4. Add the bean curd, squid and tomatoes. Simmer for 1 minute.
5. Taste and adjust the seasoning. Transfer the soup to a serving bowl and add the spring onion and coriander leaves. Drizzle with the sesame oil.
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