This veg hot and sour soup recipe is fusion indo-chinese recipe. This soup tastes same as Indo-chinese restaurant one. Serve this as a starter as this soup cannot be paired with bread or other dish. During the winter season, I make this soup very often. As this is hubby’s favorite soup recipe. I and hubby prefer different kind of soups. I like smooth and puree kind soups like palak soup, spring onion soup. While he likes the chunky soup like this one or veg manchow soup or sweet corn veg soup. He wants some texture in the soup and he thinks that smooth soups are for babies. He and his thoughts huh.. I have adapted this veg hot and sour soup recipe from Sanjeev Kapoor’s recipe. Black pepper powder and Chili sauce, These two ingredients makes soup spicy and hot. The original recipe calls for white pepper powder and green chili sauce. I substituted both because this is what easily available in my kitchen and of course your kitchen. Vinegar makes the soup sour tasting. Here I have used white distilled vinegar. Rice vinegar can be used instead. Corn starch or Corn flour helps to thicken the soup. The consistency of the soup can be thin or thick. I prefer slight thick just like the restaurants serve. If you like slightly thinner then reduce the corn flour amount and let it simmer for less time than mentioned.
How to make Vegetable Hot and Sour Soup?
- First prep all the ingredients, chop the veggies (ginger, garlic, celery, onion, carrot, mushrooms, green pepper, cabbage and green beans) and keep it aside.
- Also dissolve the cornstarch into ½ cup of water.
- Now heat the oil in a saucepan on medium heat. Once hot add chopped ginger, garlic, celery and onion.
- Mix well and saute till onions become soft and translucent.
- Then add rest of the veggies.
- Mix well and saute for just 1 minutes. As we have chopped them pretty small they will get cooked fast.
- Add water or vegetable stock.
- Bring it to a simmer.
- Add soya sauce.
- Also add red chili sauce.
- Mix well.
- Now first stir the corn flour+water mixture as flour might settled down at the bottom of the bowl. Then pour it into the soup.
- Taste the soup and add salt as required. If using salted vegetable stock then be careful. Also soya sauce is salty, so always taste first and then add salt accordingly.
- Add pepper powder as well.
- Mix well and let it simmer for 5-7 minutes or till the soup is thickened as per your liking consistency.
- Lastly add white vinegar.
- Stir well.
- And soup is ready to serve. Garnish the soup with some chopped green part of spring onion before serving. It is optional though.
Variations in Indian Hot and Sour Soup:
Different vegetables: Here I have used green beans, carrot, cabbage, mushrooms and capsicum. As per your liking, you can skip some or add some more. You can add bean sprouts, bamboo shoots just like original recipe. Here I have chopped the veggies very finely because I prefer that way. But if you like and want veggies bigger then chop however you like. You can slice them as well.
Serving suggestion: Serve as a starter with your indo-chinese menu. During winter season, you can have it any time of the day.
