RECIPE: HOW TO DO HOT AND SOUR SOUP

Ching-He Huang’s healthy vegan hot and sour soup recipe is a wonderful way to kick off Chinese New Year celebrations.

RECIPE HOT AND SOUR SOUP

50g dried wood ear mushrooms (see Know-how)
1 tbsp cornflour
1 tbsp rapeseed oil
2.5cm piece fresh ginger, grated
1 red chilli, deseeded and finely chopped
8 cherry tomatoes
3 leaves chinese leaf, finely sliced
1 carrot, sliced into matchsticks
1 daikon, peeled and sliced into matchsticks
225g tin bamboo shoots, rinsed, drained and sliced into matchsticks
1 tbsp vegan bouillon powder
2 tbsp tamari or reduced-salt light soy sauce
2 tbsp clear rice vinegar
1 tbsp toasted sesame oil
200g fresh firm tofu, drained and sliced into matchsticks
200g enoki mushrooms (from large supermarkets), separated into smaller bunches
3 spring onions, trimmed and sliced into matchsticks (see tip)
Small handful fresh coriander, stalks finely sliced and leaves set aside for garnish

Put the wood ear mushrooms in a bowl. Pour over boiling water and leave to soak for 20 minutes, then drain and slice into matchsticks. In a small bowl, mix the cornflour with 2 tbsp cold water to form a paste.
Heat a wok or deep frying pan over a high heat and add the rapeseed oil. Once hot, add the ginger and chilli and stir for a few seconds, then add the whole tomatoes and toss for a few seconds more. Add the chinese leaves, carrot, daikon, bamboo shoots and bouillon powder, then pour over 1 litre water.
Bring to the boil, then reduce the heat to medium and simmer for 5 minutes until the chinese leaves are translucent. Add the wood ear mushrooms and cook for 1 minute, then add the tamari/light soy sauce, rice vinegar and sesame oil.
Pour in the cornflour paste to thicken the sauce. Stir in the tofu and enoki mushrooms and cook for 1 minute, then add the spring onions and coriander stalks. Season with ground white pepper.
Spoon into serving bowls and serve garnished with coriander leaves.