Chinese · Authentic-ish Chinese
Hot and Sour Soup
213 kcal a serving, against 314 for the traditional version. That is 101 kcal off, or 32%, with 21.7g of protein. Serves 6. 20 minutes.
What the traditional version is
A thick, glossy chicken broth heavily thickened with cornflour. It usually contains strips of fatty pork shoulder, blocks of firm tofu and whole eggs cooked into soft ribbons. The whole thing is finished with a heavy pour of toasted sesame oil and soy sauce.
What changed, and what each change costs
150g of fatty pork shoulder for lean chicken breast
Chicken breast provides pure lean muscle without the heavy rendered fat of pork shoulder. It bulks up the soup perfectly.
What it costs you. You lose the rich, melting texture of pork fat. The chicken is firm and offers a very different bite.
100g of whole eggs for 100g of egg whites
Ditching the yolks strips out a huge amount of fat while keeping the protein high. You still get those classic cooked ribbons running through the broth.
What it costs you. Call it a stark white one rather than a rich, golden ribbon anymore and you'll be about right. You lose a little bit of richness in the background.
40g of sesame oil down to 10g
The traditional slick of oil floating on top is mostly there for richness. Cutting it back exposes the sharp vinegar and makes the broth punchier.
What it costs you. The soup doesn't coat the back of your throat in the same comforting way. It feels thinner and more aggressive.
The numbers
| Per serving | Traditional | Lightened |
|---|---|---|
| Calories | 314 | 213 |
| Protein | 20.6g | 21.7g |
| Fat | 19.3g | 8.9g |
| Saturated fat | 4.2g | 1.6g |
| Carbohydrate | 15.3g | 12.3g |
| Protein per 100 kcal | 6.6g | 10.2g |
Every figure is computed from the recipe's own weighed ingredient list against public food composition databases. The appendix in Authentic-ish Chinese prints the exact database row used for each ingredient, so any number here can be checked.
Allergens. eggs, gluten, sesame, soybeans, sulphites.
The method is in the book
This is the first soup I turn to when I feel a cold coming on. The sharp vinegar and fierce chilli heat still deliver a massive punch. You get a huge volume of food and a solid hit of protein without the usual oil slick. Yes, the broth feels slightly thinner because the fat is drastically reduced. Accept the trade. It tastes incredibly fresh, clears your sinuses perfectly and takes barely any time to throw together.
The quantities and the method for this dish are in Authentic-ish Chinese, along with 55 more. Buy the paperback