Chinese · soup

Hot and Sour Soup (酸辣汤)

Name: Hot and Sour Soup (酸辣汤)
Prep time: 20 min
Total time: 35 min
Cuisine: Chinese
Ingredients: 4 oz pork tenderloin, shredded; 6 oz firm tofu, julienned; 1/2 cup wood ear mushrooms, soaked and sliced; 1/4 cup dried lily buds, soaked; 1/2 cup bamboo shoots, julienned; 2 eggs; 6 cups chicken broth; 3 tbsp soy sauce; 3 tbsp dark rice vinegar; 1 tsp white pepper; 3 tbsp cornstarch; 1 tsp sesame oil; 2 scallions, sliced

Hot and Sour Soup (酸辣汤) reads umami 7.4, salinity 4.9 and richness 4.3 on Palate's 0–10 flavor X-ray — a Chinese soup, about 35 min. Measured from the recipe itself: ingredients and technique.

The flavor X-ray — six axes, 0–10

Umami & Savory — 8.2 / 10
Sweet & Fruity — 1.4 / 10
Sour & Bright — 3.5 / 10
Bitter & Earthy — 3.7 / 10
Rich & Fat — 5.2 / 10
Aromatic & Spice — 3.0 / 10

The measured notes (of 18)

Umami 7.4 · Salinity 4.9 · Richness 4.3 · Earthy 3.6 · Sourness 3.5 · Nutty 2.9 · Funk & Ferment 2.8 · Herbaceous 2.7 · Allium 1.7 · Sweetness 1.4 · Heat 0.8 · Warm Spice 0.8 · Floral 0.8 · Bitterness 0.7

What's in it (13)

4 oz pork tenderloin, shredded
6 oz firm tofu, julienned
1/2 cup wood ear mushrooms, soaked and sliced
1/4 cup dried lily buds, soaked
1/2 cup bamboo shoots, julienned
2 eggs
6 cups chicken broth
3 tbsp soy sauce
3 tbsp dark rice vinegar
1 tsp white pepper
3 tbsp cornstarch
1 tsp sesame oil
2 scallions, sliced

Time & effort: about 35 min (20 min active) · effort: medium

Nutrition (per 100 g, engine-estimated): 48.3 kcal, 4.6 g protein, 1.8 g fat, 3.9 g carbs

Dietary: Contains meat · Contains egg — engine-derived; double-check anything allergy-critical.

How it's cooked (3 steps)

Simmer broth with shredded pork, mushrooms, lily buds, bamboo shoots, and tofu.
Season boldly with soy sauce, vinegar, and white pepper for the characteristic sour-hot balance.
Thicken with cornstarch slurry and drizzle in beaten egg while stirring to form ribbons, then finish with sesame oil.

Dishes with a similar flavor shape

Vegetable Ramen with Soft-Boiled Egg — Japanese
Chicken Lettuce Wraps — Chinese-American
Vol-au-Vent — French
Gingery Vegetable Wonton Soup — Chinese-American
Mushroom Stroganoff with Egg Noodles — American

Keep reading: what umami, salinity, richness mean in the flavor lexicon · the world's cuisines, by flavor.

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Every number above is Palate's engine-measured estimate, computed from this recipe's ingredients and techniques — not human-tasted ratings or reviews.