This soup is slightly Hot & Sour. When I seasoned the soup, I thought some Vinegar would improve the flavour, so I added Vinegar to the soup. Maybe I was tired, but I definitely enjoyed the sourness of this soup. You can make it hotter and sourer to suit your taste. If you have Kombu that has been used to make dashi stock, you can use it.


Makes

2 Servings

Ingredients

10g Dried Shredded Kombu (Kelp)
1 teaspoon Sesame Oil
100g thinly sliced Pork Belly *optional, cut into bite-size pieces
2 to 3 Shiitake Mushrooms *sliced
*Note: You can add more Vegetables such as Carrot, Bok Choy, etc. As some Vegetables can be cooked very quickly, cook them accordingly.
2 cups Chicken Stock *OR 2 cups Water & 2 teaspoon Asian Chicken Bouillon Powder
Chilli Flakes as required
1/2 teaspoon grated Ginger
1 tablespoon Soy Sauce
Salt & White Pepper
1 tablespoon Rice Vinegar
100g Tofu *medium to firm type, cut into bite-size cubes
1 tablespoon Potato Starch *mixed with 1 tablespoon Water
1 Egg *whisked
Spring Onion *finely chopped
Toasted Sesame Seeds

Method
  1. Soak Dried Shredded Kombu (Kelp) in cold water until softened, drain, rinse, and drain again. Cut into the length that is easy to eat if loo long.
  2. Heat Sesame Oil in a saucepan over medium heat, cook Pork and Shiitake Mushrooms. Add Chicken Stock, Kombu (Kelp) and Chilli Flakes, and cook for 5 to 10 minutes OR until Kombu is soft.
  3. Add Ginger, season with Soy Sauce, Salt & White Pepper, then add Rice Vinegar and stir well.
  4. Add Tofu, then add Potato Starch mixture, and stir well. When the soup is thickened, add Egg and let it cooked, and gently stir.
  5. Sprinkle with some finely chopped Spring Onion and Toasted Sesame Seeds, and enjoy.
  6. *Note: The photo below is the same soup but without Pork. I added Crispy Chilli Oil on top.