Cycle 16 – Item 321

Post 5,800

22 (Sat) November 2025

Hot & Sour Soup

3.0

by me

at home

-Changgok, Sujeong, Seongnam, Gyeonggi, Republic of Korea-

with W and IZ

Since my first attempt at this dish (see 15.281 Hot & Sour Soup), I’ve settled on my preferred combination of components, chosen both for taste/texture and convenience: ground pork (if available) + dried tofu strips (if available) + napa cabbage + bamboo + carrot + wood ear mushrooms + egg, garnished with scallions + enoki.

This time, I tried using Chinkiang Vinegar, a dark rice vinegar from China.  According to Google: “aged for a rich, malty, slightly sweet, and tangy flavor with woody notes, used widely for dipping dumplings (with ginger), in hot & sour soups, stir-fries, and braises to add authentic depth.”  Chinese-American recipes typically call for plain vinegar – in fact, to achieve a cleaner flavor more familiar to the American palate, The Woks of Life recommends against Chinkiang Vinegar.

Indeed, with Chinkiang Vinegar, the soup turned out a bit more complex, a bit more bitter, perhaps a bit more herbal, not necessarily in a good/bad way, just different, presumably more traditional.

(See RESTAURANTS IN KOREA)

(See GLOBAL FOOD GLOSSARY)

(See HANSIK)

(See BOOZE)