Hot and Sour Fish Soup | Chef John’s Cooking Class

Soak the dried Shiitake mushroom and dried lily flower in cold water separately for 3-4 hours.

Shred the softened mushroom. Remove the stems from the softened lily flowers, and pull apart the flowers.

Peel the fresh winter bamboo shoot, then remove the tough end. Boil the whole bamboo shoot in water for 15-20 minutes. Then cut it into thin strips.

Grease the baking pan, bake the fish at 350°F/180°C for 30 minutes. Remove bones from the baked fish, then separate the fish meat into pieces.

Making the hot and sour sauce: In a large bowl, combine white vinegar, Zhenjiang vinegar, ground white pepper, sesame seeds, and cilantro. Mix well.

In a medium stockpot over high heat, add 1.5qt chicken broth, bring it to a boil. Add Pancetta, fish meat, Shaoxing wine, winter bamboo shoot thin strips, lily flower, and shiitake mushroom. When it boils again, salt and potato slurry, turn off the heat, then slowly pour in the egg liquid, continuously gently stir during the entire process by using a pair of chopsticks.

Pour the soup into the sauce, enjoy!

1 - You can bake, steam, or boil the fish. It is easier to debone when cooked. 2 - The hotness comes from the white pepper, one can vary the amount of white pepper according to personal preference. Never replace white pepper with chili powder. There is a difference between them in hot flavor.