Instant Pot Hot and Sour Soup.
Yes, you can make Hot and Sour Soup in the Instant Pot that’s a pretty good facsimile of your favorite takeout Chinese. We started with this recipe from Jamie + Jacky and were initially disappointed but then we added lots more white pepper (hot) and white distilled vinegar (sour) and that did the trick. Note that our recipe does include a number of ingredients you’ll need to get from your Asian market or Amazon; once you have them on hand the recipe comes together quickly. Makes about 8 servings of hot & sour soup.
Ingredients:
A generous handful each of: dried shiitake mushrooms, dried black fungus/tree ears and dried lily buds
1 lb pork shoulder meat (we used country style spare ribs)
1 T neutral oil
Salt and pepper
1 T Shaoxing wine or dry sherry
4 c chicken stock
2 t grated ginger
1 T regular soy sauce
1 T dark soy sauce
4 T distilled white vinegar* plus more as desired
1 t Kosher salt
1 T ground white pepper, plus more as desired
1 t toasted sesame oil
½ brick tofu (any firmness)
1 egg
¼ c water
2 T cornstarch
Method: soak the mushrooms, fungus and lily buds in three separate bowls with 2 c hot water for each until soft, about 45 minutes. While they are soaking, set Instant Pot to Sauté, add 1 T oil and brown the pork shoulder on all sides. Reserve. Still on the Sauté setting, deglaze the pot with wine/sherry and soaking water from shiitake mushrooms. (You can discard the other two waters.) Turn off the Instant Pot.
Return the pork to the pot with chicken stock, ginger, regular and dark soy sauces, white vinegar, salt, white pepper and sesame oil. Cut the shiitakes into thin slices, discarding the hard core; chop tree ears coarsely; cut off ends of lily buds and slice in half at the center; add all to the pot. Seal and pressure cook on High for 18 minutes followed by natural release for 15 minutes.
Fish out pork pieces and, when they are cool enough to handle, shred the meat, discard bones if any, and return shredded pork to the pot. Add tofu, chopped into small cubes if firm otherwise just crumbled in. Use Sauté setting to bring soup to the boil. Beat egg and swirl into the soup, mixing with a spoon so the tendrils of egg are well distributed. Mix 3 T cornstarch with ¼ c cold water till smooth and add to soup; stir until the soup is thickened.
Now, TASTE FOR SEASONING. We predict you will add a good amount of extra white pepper and vinegar to get the taste you want: pungent, aromatic, with a deep note of flavor from the pork. Serve hot.
*Jamie and Jacky use Chinkiang black vinegar, which we love, but white distilled vinegar creates the flavor profile we’re looking for in a Chinese takeout hot and sour soup.
