Veg Hot and Sour Soup
A peppery, tangy, slightly thick Indo-Chinese vegetable soup finished with soy, vinegar and white pepper, ready in under 30 minutes.
Hot and sour soup is the classic Indo-Chinese starter that wakes up the appetite. The heat comes from white pepper and chilli sauce, the sourness from vinegar, and a cornflour slurry gives it the lightly thick, glossy body. Thin matchstick vegetables cook in minutes, so the whole bowl is quick to put together. It suits a monsoon evening or a cold day, and works as a starter before noodles and fried rice. The balance is everything: add the vinegar and pepper at the end, taste, and adjust until the soup is sharp and warming in equal measure.
Method
- Heat oil in a pan on high heat. Add garlic, ginger and green chilli and stir for 15 seconds without browning.
- Add cabbage, carrot, mushrooms and capsicum and toss for 1 to 2 minutes on high heat.
- Pour in the stock or water, add soy sauce, chilli sauce and salt, and bring to a boil. Simmer for 4 to 5 minutes until the vegetables are just tender.
- Stir the cornflour slurry well, then pour it in slowly while stirring continuously. Simmer 2 to 3 minutes until the soup turns glossy and lightly thick.
- Add tofu or paneer if using, and the white pepper. Cook 1 minute.
- Switch off the heat and stir in the vinegar. Taste and adjust pepper, salt and vinegar.
- Garnish with spring onion greens and serve piping hot.
Chef's tips
- Add vinegar after switching off the heat so its sharpness is not cooked away.
- Stir the slurry again just before adding; cornflour settles quickly and causes lumps.
- White pepper gives the authentic flavour; black pepper works but looks speckled.
- Cut vegetables very thin so they cook quickly and stay slightly crisp.
Watch Purna make something similar
Creamy Corn Cappuccino Soup
What to serve it with
Serve hot in small bowls with extra vinegar, chilli sauce and green chillies in soy on the side, before noodles or fried rice.
Storage
Best eaten fresh. Refrigerate leftovers for a day and reheat gently, adding a splash of water and a little fresh vinegar and pepper to revive the flavour.
Variations
- Add boiled sweet corn kernels for sweetness.
- Use crumbled paneer or soft tofu for protein.
- Make it milder by halving the pepper and chilli sauce for children.
Recipe by Chef Purna Shah. More videos on YouTube and Instagram.
Recipe questions
Why is my hot and sour soup lumpy?
The cornflour was added without mixing in cold water, or poured in too fast. Whisk the slurry well in cold water and pour slowly while stirring constantly.
When should I add vinegar to hot and sour soup?
Add it at the end after switching off the heat. Boiling vinegar loses its sharp tang, so the soup tastes flat instead of sour.
Can I make it without stock?
Yes. Plain water works if you build flavour with garlic, ginger, soy sauce and enough pepper. A little extra soy and a pinch of salt helps.
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