Hot and Sour Soup

Instructions

1. If you opted into the chicken, fill a medium-sized pot (about 2 L) with 500 mL water. Bring water to a boil and place chicken breast inside. Reduce heat to just a simmer so chicken can poach, about 15 minutes.

2. In a small bowl or cup, create a slurry by stirring together 4 tablespoons of potato starch and 8 tablespoons of water and set aside. Wash mushrooms, green pepper and bamboo shoots. Then, julienne them and the tofu and set aside.

3. For those with chicken, remove it from the pot and set aside on a plate to cool. Drain the pot and add in chicken or vegetable broth. Simmer broth on medium-low heat.

4. When broth comes to a boil, add mushrooms, bamboo shoots and green peas, then carefully add tofu. While waiting for the broth to come to a boil again, shred chicken breast with two forks.When broth comes to a boil, add your optional protein(s) – chicken, char siu and/or shrimp – and vinegar. Shake your jar of Vooka Chili Chicken sauce and add ⅓ of the jar into the pot while scraping the bottom of the pot in a clockwise motion with a wooden spoon.

5. Test your soup. If you like it saltier, add in 2 teaspoons of light soy sauce and salt to taste. If you like more heat, add ½ tablespoon of sriracha or 1 diced Thai chili.

6. With your finger, stir the slurry so that it has the consistency of 2% milk. When the slurry is mixed, slowly add it to the mixture while stirring the soup with a wooden spoon. Make sure the spoon is scraping the bottom of the pot. Continue adding in more slurry until you get the thickness you want. The soup should coat the back of a dinner spoon.

7. Bring soup to a light simmer on medium heat and gently pour in the egg while stirring. Turn off heat and serve!