Sichuan hot and sour soup is healthy because there is really not much carbs except the tiny bit of corn flour to thicken the soup. It’s hearty because we can add as much ingredients as we want to.

This recipe was adapted from daydaycook.com and I used my batch of stock from leftover chicken carcass and pork leg bone. Feel free to use any leftover bones and vegetables for stock. I like using roast chicken or bones from braised meat as they enhance the flavor of the stock.

The stock

• 1 whole salt baked chicken carcass – I removed all the meat and left the carcass for stock
• 1 large bone from braised pork leg
• Whites of spring onion (about 10)
• A bunch of coriander roots (about 5)
• 1 liter of water

Directions 

Add all ingredients into a deep pot and boil away for about an hour, scooping up scum when there’s any.

Soup ingredients – huge pot for about 10

• All of the stock made beforehand (or any chicken stock is fine)
• 300ml water from soaking mushroom 
• 200g lean pork sliced thinly, marinate with white pepper and light soy sauce
• 2 bamboo shoots sliced thinly
• 2 firm tofu sliced thinly
• 3 wood ear fungus soaked in water and sliced thinly
• 5 Chinese dried shiitake soaked in water and sliced thinly
• 200ml Chinese dark vinegar
• 2 tbsp light soy sauce 
• 3 tbsp chili bean paste
• 2 eggs beaten
• 3 tbsp corn flour and 50ml water as thickener 
• 1 tsp salt and pepper or amount to your liking
• Chopped spring onion and coriander 

   
         Directions

1. Heat the stock and mushroom water till it boils
2. Add wood ear, mushrooms, bamboo shoots
3. Once the aroma of mushrooms is released, add meat 
4. When soup boils, add chili bean paste, pepper, light soy sauce, vinegar and tofu. 
5. Stir thoroughly and cook for 20min
6. Add egg slowly to form the egg drop then stir in the starch to thicken soup
7. Season with 1 tsp salt and 1 tsp white pepper (add more if you wish)
8. Serve with a drizzle of sesame oil, chopped spring onion and coriander