Uploaded July 2024 | Updated September 2026, 3 hours ago
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At just about any Chinese restaurant in North America one will find wonton soup on the menu. If there are more choices, then hot-and-sour soup is quite likely to be one of them. Typically, this soup is thickened using cornstarch to make the clear, watery broth thicker without causing it to be cloudy. While not everyone has a strong metabolic reaction to cornstarch, it does contain completely empty calories and its only purpose is to thicken the broth. So in this recipe we provide an alternative: thicken the soup with psyllium husk, a commonly available dietary fiber supplement which is healthier than cornstarch because it has no (or very few) calories and also provides insoluble dietary fiber which is essential for proper gut health and which most people don’t get enough of in our modern environment which surrounds us with ultra-processed foods.
Soup is often better the second day; this soup is just as good the day it’s made as it will be leftover, so there’s no particular need to make in advance for maximum enjoyment. That said, it may certainly be made ahead as a matter of convenience. Allow the finished soup to cool completely and then store in sealed containers in the fridge for no more than two weeks. Freezing is not recommended since it will further tenderize the vegetables and make also cause the tofu to crumble.
When using psyllium in place of cornstarch, it is important to remember that it takes longer to thicken fully than cornstarch does, but it goes twice as far, so when substituting into another recipe, plan to use about half of the measurement of cornstarch. Also, soup-thickness is a matter of some personal preference. Start with half the indicated amount of psyllium and let the soup simmer for at least half an hour before deciding whether to add more.
Makes 2.5 to 3 quarts of soup.
Equipment:
large, preferably non-reactive soup pot (dutch oven)
Ingredients:
1 quart chicken stock
1 quart water plus 1 tsp chicken bouillon; or more stock
10 g dried black fungus soaked 1+ hr to rehydrate; julienne
1-2 ea dried shiitake caps soaked 2-3 hr to rehydrate; julienne
4 oz bamboo shoots canned or frozen; julienne
4 oz baby corn canned or frozen; julienne; optional
4 oz carrot julienne
4 oz snowpeas julienne
1 rib celery sliced thin at high bias to simulate julienne
1 bunch scallions green and white parts separated; julienne
1/4 cup rice vinegar
1/4 cup soy sauce
2 tsp ginger fresh; either ground or smashed and minced
1 tsp chili garlic sauce an Asian condiment; we used the Vietnamese variant
2 Tbsp psyllium husk one tablespoon may be sufficient; if using cornstarch, use 4 Tbsp
8 oz firm tofu or a softer tofu and be gentle with the soup to avoid breakage
1 tsp sesame oil
Procedure:
1. Sweat the julienned carrot, snowpeas, celery and scallion-whites in a small amount of neutral oil in the soup pot. The snowpea may be reserved until later to preserve its color if desired.
2. Once the carrot has softened a bit, add the stock, water, bouillon, vinegar, soy sauce and ginger, and allow the soup to come slowly to a simmer.
3. Meanwhile, cut the tofu into cubes and cut the fungus, mushrooms, bamboo shoots and baby corn to long julienne.
4. Once the soup is simmering, add the psyllium (or perhaps just half to start with), and the fungus, mushrooms, bamboo shoots, baby corn and tofu cubes.
5. The soup should simmer and thicken over the next half-hour or so.
6. Taste and adjust the seasoning of the soup.
7. Stir in the sesame oil and the julienned green parts of the scallions right before serving.
8. Optionally garnish with cilantro leaves or hot oil.
Music: bensound.com/royalty-free-music
Check our our Patreon! patreon.com/loveyourfood
Need a kitchen thermometer? Check out ChefsTemp! Use code LoveYourFood for 15% off a meat thermometer! shareasale.com/u.cfm?d=1003201&m=111859&u=3322095&afftrack=
At just about any Chinese restaurant in North America one will find wonton soup on the menu. If there are more choices, then hot-and-sour soup is quite likely to be one of them. Typically, this soup is thickened using cornstarch to make the clear, watery broth thicker without causing it to be cloudy. While not everyone has a strong metabolic reaction to cornstarch, it does contain completely empty calories and its only purpose is to thicken the broth. So in this recipe we provide an alternative: thicken the soup with psyllium husk, a commonly available dietary fiber supplement which is healthier than cornstarch because it has no (or very few) calories and also provides insoluble dietary fiber which is essential for proper gut health and which most people don’t get enough of in our modern environment which surrounds us with ultra-processed foods.
Soup is often better the second day; this soup is just as good the day it’s made as it will be leftover, so there’s no particular need to make in advance for maximum enjoyment. That said, it may certainly be made ahead as a matter of convenience. Allow the finished soup to cool completely and then store in sealed containers in the fridge for no more than two weeks. Freezing is not recommended since it will further tenderize the vegetables and make also cause the tofu to crumble.
When using psyllium in place of cornstarch, it is important to remember that it takes longer to thicken fully than cornstarch does, but it goes twice as far, so when substituting into another recipe, plan to use about half of the measurement of cornstarch. Also, soup-thickness is a matter of some personal preference. Start with half the indicated amount of psyllium and let the soup simmer for at least half an hour before deciding whether to add more.
Makes 2.5 to 3 quarts of soup.
Equipment:
large, preferably non-reactive soup pot (dutch oven)
Ingredients:
1 quart chicken stock
1 quart water plus 1 tsp chicken bouillon; or more stock
10 g dried black fungus soaked 1+ hr to rehydrate; julienne
1-2 ea dried shiitake caps soaked 2-3 hr to rehydrate; julienne
4 oz bamboo shoots canned or frozen; julienne
4 oz baby corn canned or frozen; julienne; optional
4 oz carrot julienne
4 oz snowpeas julienne
1 rib celery sliced thin at high bias to simulate julienne
1 bunch scallions green and white parts separated; julienne
1/4 cup rice vinegar
1/4 cup soy sauce
2 tsp ginger fresh; either ground or smashed and minced
1 tsp chili garlic sauce an Asian condiment; we used the Vietnamese variant
2 Tbsp psyllium husk one tablespoon may be sufficient; if using cornstarch, use 4 Tbsp
8 oz firm tofu or a softer tofu and be gentle with the soup to avoid breakage
1 tsp sesame oil
Procedure:
1. Sweat the julienned carrot, snowpeas, celery and scallion-whites in a small amount of neutral oil in the soup pot. The snowpea may be reserved until later to preserve its color if desired.
2. Once the carrot has softened a bit, add the stock, water, bouillon, vinegar, soy sauce and ginger, and allow the soup to come slowly to a simmer.
3. Meanwhile, cut the tofu into cubes and cut the fungus, mushrooms, bamboo shoots and baby corn to long julienne.
4. Once the soup is simmering, add the psyllium (or perhaps just half to start with), and the fungus, mushrooms, bamboo shoots, baby corn and tofu cubes.
5. The soup should simmer and thicken over the next half-hour or so.
6. Taste and adjust the seasoning of the soup.
7. Stir in the sesame oil and the julienned green parts of the scallions right before serving.
8. Optionally garnish with cilantro leaves or hot oil.
Music: bensound.com/royalty-free-music
