Day 13.
I am sick. I've been sick on and off since Christmas, and it's getting old.
No, I haven't been to a doctor.
I prefer the Internet.
I've tried steam, I've tried drinking more water, I've tried exercising, I've tried sleeping more, hot water and honey, and whining.
Lots of whining.
No, I haven't been to a doctor.
I prefer the Internet.
I've tried steam, I've tried drinking more water, I've tried exercising, I've tried sleeping more, hot water and honey, and whining.
Lots of whining.
Please don't tell me to get a neti pot.
You're going to tell me to get a neti pot, aren't you?
But I'm scared!
In-between nose blows, I made some hot and sour soup to help with the sinus-draining. I adore hot and sour soup.
Is there a stronger word than adore? I am infatuated with hot and sour soup.
That doesn't sound right.
Is there a stronger word than adore? I am infatuated with hot and sour soup.
That doesn't sound right.
Hot and Sour Soup. It's the bomb.
It is very tasty, and I think you should make it and bring me some more.
Because I ate it all.
While you're at it, you can bring me those really nice Puffs tissues embedded with aloe lotion.
Because I ate it all.
While you're at it, you can bring me those really nice Puffs tissues embedded with aloe lotion.
The Ingredients:
serves 2-3
serves 2-3
1 cup cubed firm tofu (I used one-half of that Trader Joe's two-pack.)
2 cups chicken broth2 cups water
1 package of sliced mushrooms
1 can bamboo shoots
1 can sliced water chestnuts
2 tablespoon soy sauce (La Choy is gluten-free)
1 teaspoon sesame oil
2 tablespoons rice wine vinegar (and some more later)
1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes (and some more later)
--green onion for garnish
The Directions:
Wash your hands. Stop blowing nose.
Combine everything in your slow cooker. I used a 5 quart, and I think it was filled about 2/3 of the way full. Here's a picture since I am horrible at judging fraction-y type things:
If I did it again, I'd use a 3 or 4 quart. Cook on low for 7-9 hours or high 4-5. I was impatient (have I mentioned that I'm sick?) and cooked it on high for 3 1/2. The mushrooms would have been better if I had waited.
Taste.
If you need more of the sour flavor, add more rice wine vinegar. If you need more of the hot flavor, add more red pepper flakes.
I like my soup very hot and sour, so I added another 1 tablespoob of the vinegar and another 1/4 teaspoon of the pepper flakes.
Garnish with sliced green onion.
The Verdict:
I could probably eat this all day long. So I did. My kids really like it--they eat the broth and the tofu and leave the rest.
You could easily slip in lots more veggies that you have on hand---carrots, celery, those cute little canned corncobs, etc.
Many recipes call for cooked chicken or pork, which would be a great addition if you have some on hand or wanted to meat it up.
other soup recipes you might like:
Thai Coconut
Moroccan Lentil
Jamaican Pumpkin
Restaurant Tomato
Potato Leek
French Onion Soup
The soup looks delicious. I'm putting that on my list for this week.
The Neti pot, not so much - yikes. Hope you're feeling better soon.
January 13, 2008 at 6:37 AM
sorry your sick! and no I think the whole nettie pott thing is a little hokey..but the recipe looks delish!
January 13, 2008 at 7:06 AM
Hot AND Sour! Divine. Soup looks delish. You are inspiring me to drag out the crock pot and try it myself!
Feel better soon.
Meg. xo.
January 13, 2008 at 7:19 AM
Very fun idea for a blog. I added you to my feed reader.
January 13, 2008 at 8:55 AM
I LOVE hot & sour soup! I am on my way to the store right now to get the ingredients!
January 13, 2008 at 10:49 AM
Funny, after I read your post...I read this one. :)
http://deweystreehouse.blogspot.com/2008/01/i-am-free.html
January 13, 2008 at 10:53 AM
I have heard that hot and sour soup is suppose to do wonders for the sinuses! (also buy a neti pot, or at least some of that simply saline nose spray which will kind of ease you into using a neti pot! It really works--i promise!) Chinese New Year is Feb. 7--I think I'll make this soup and the fortune cookies my friend Emily just posted about making, and my family will think I'm wonderful :)!
Hope you're feeling better soon!
January 13, 2008 at 11:07 AM
Great site...I saw the write up on Creative Blogs and I tagging you as I love your site!!!
January 13, 2008 at 11:22 AM
Holy crap, where are you finding these recipes? 'Cause my crockpot skills make almost everything I try taste like old socks (with gravy). But this? It's what's for dinner!
The thing that gets me is that I'm a pretty decent cook, but I just can't translate any of my existing skills to crockpotland.
January 13, 2008 at 12:23 PM
I LOVE hot and sour soup too! Especially with a cold. And yes, I recommend the Neti pot. Really. It's not as bad as you imagine. Just keep your mouth open.
January 13, 2008 at 12:44 PM
Go Netti Pot. IT only freaks you out the first three times you do it. Then you get used to it. It really works.
January 13, 2008 at 1:39 PM
hahahaha on the dinner tasting like socks.
I tried to make a breakfast today. It did not. go. well.
geesh, you Internet people and your neti pots... ;-)
xoxox
steph
January 13, 2008 at 2:17 PM
the soup almost got me to dust off my crockpot..maybe next time. the brie and pears, yum!
January 13, 2008 at 2:19 PM
Shouldn't you stop blowing your nose BEFORE you wash your hands...just sayin'
Thanks for these ideas! I have a grossly under-used crockpot, and coming on here to see your posts every day encourage me! My vegetarian kiddo will like this recipe!
Hope you feel better soon!
January 13, 2008 at 5:33 PM
What's a Neti pot? I hope you feel better soon. I'm going to use my crockpot tomorrow morning. I'm going out for the day, and I'm planning to make my signature Beef in Beer stew. It should be just about done when I get home at the end of the day. I will make that hot and sour soup sometime, though, it looks delicious.
January 13, 2008 at 5:46 PM
I bought a crockpot!!!
Still wondering what to try first on it.. Can't go wrong with Minestrone, can I?
I love that you post so many vegetarian recipes!
(Thanks for stopping by at my blog!)
January 13, 2008 at 6:36 PM
congratulations, anu! I would think minestrone would taste wonderful. If you are going to add in noodles, wait until the last 60 min or so or cook them separately and stir them in at the very end.
dabrah, a neti pot is this little pot you use to clean your sinuses. I linked to a wikipedia explanation up in the post. They were made "popular" in the last year thanks to the Internet and Dr. Oz on Oprah.
January 13, 2008 at 7:17 PM
This is the first recipe for Hot and Sour soup that I actually have all the ingredients for. I love hot and sour soup and can't wait to try this. I'm glad I found this site because I am trying to use my crock pot more.
January 13, 2008 at 9:46 PM
I was sick for two weeks over the holidays and the only thing I could eat was Hot and Sour soup and Won Ton Soup, but I ordered delivery. . .this would have been better! NUM! Thanks, I am LOVING your recipes!
*I still have not used my crockpot yet, but I bought a roast this weekend to do this week!
January 14, 2008 at 8:22 AM
Yum - I made this recipe and it was really good. Like you, I added more of the vinegar ... it gave it a much better tangy taste. Definitely a keeper.
January 15, 2008 at 10:27 AM
I made this one yesterday, it is THE BOMB! I can see many, many versions of this too! FAB!
January 16, 2008 at 3:26 PM
My first visit to your blog..love it...and I'm snagging this recipe!! Thank you very much. I've been wanting to use my crockpot more often.
January 21, 2008 at 11:09 AM
I tried the hot and sour soup yesterday and it was a hit. I made some modifications, so I'm going to post the details of what I did on my blog today. But mainly I added fresh garlic and ginger, chili paste, peas, and dried shitakes in addition to the button mushrooms.
Now you can see why I need to post it as a whole new recipe! It is a variation on yours and, of course I will link to your post as the main inspiration. I would have been a little nervous to try this one in a crock pot without you going first!
March 13, 2008 at 7:08 AM
I'm so glad that you liked it, and am happy that changed it up to make it "your own"----cooking is fun when you feel comfortable enough to experiment. And all you need to do is change one ingredient and it's a whole 'nother recipe!
thank you for sharing!
xox
steph
March 13, 2008 at 7:20 AM
March 13, 2008 at 7:20 AM
I did a search with "tofu recipe listserv" and found your blog. Yes, I'm a yoga teacher. Yes, I love my neti pot, when I'm sick and such (helps with my singing voice too!) It is a bit weird getting used to though.....just keep your mouth open tilt the head to the side, breath through your mouth, and use salty water that it not to hot, not to cold....just right! Love your blog! Anymore tofu/soy crock pots recipes???
May 2, 2008 at 3:03 PM
Yum! And GF! Do you think this would work if I used a full 4-cup container of chicken broth instead of 2 cups broth and 2 cups water? I hate having leftover containers in my fridge...
May 10, 2008 at 11:56 AM
I freaking love this blog! Hot & Sour is one of my absolute favorite foods, I can't wait to try this! Bless you crockpot lady!
September 15, 2008 at 8:36 PM
Do you think the temperature in the crockpot would be high enough to add egg at the end? When I make Hot and Sour Soup on the stove, I scramble a couple of eggs and slowly pour them in, making stringy trails of egg. Do you think that would work? Or not so much? Thanks!
-Sara
September 24, 2008 at 4:54 PM
ooh what a great question. I don't honestly know. I have had soup bubble in a crockpot before, and if that happens I'm sure it will work, but if your crockpot is all the way or almost-all-the-way full, this might not happen, and then I'd worry about raw egg.
I wish I knew a concrete answer, I'm sorry.
xox
steph
September 24, 2008 at 5:02 PM
I received my Crockpot as a wedding shower gift 8 years ago and your blog has inspired me to finally make something with it! I too have a cold and am waiting patiently for this Hot and Sour Soup to cook. As a working mom of two boys, your recipes will save me so much time and I can actually relax in the evening instead of rushing to put together something healthy for dinner...bye bye chicken fingers, hello Crockpot dinners! Thanks so much!
September 27, 2008 at 10:46 AM
I searched online for hot and sour soup, and it brought me to your blog. I'm glad I came across your blog, I like using my crock pot, but I don't have a lot of recipes that I use it for. I made the hot and sour soup today, and it's great! Thanks for sharing!!!
October 12, 2008 at 10:59 AM
Regarding egg, yes you can put it into the soup, do it right before serving. Your crockpot should cook the liquid to 140 degrees, that is the safe temperature. Beat the egg a little, and swirl it into the soup.
November 17, 2008 at 4:33 PM
I made this last night and it was good and very easy. Threw in whatever veg I had on hand (grated carrots, water chestnuts, and baby corn, I think). I agree, with the crockpotlady that it needs the extra vinegar and red pepper. My kids were happy with it as written, but I wanted more hot and sour. I swirled an egg in at the end, and it got stringy/swirly just like it should. Thanks for the recipes (especially the vegetarian ones); you've been inspiring me to pull out my crockpot more often!
November 25, 2008 at 8:55 AM
hmmmm... only 4 cups of liquid? i'm using a 5.5 or 6 qt crock pot and it's only like 1/4 of the way full when everything is in there. is that really the right amount of water and broth?
November 25, 2008 at 10:51 AM
It does look delicious. I've never seen a hot and sour soup with water chestnuts, though. There are canned forms of julliene cut bamboo shoots, though. Also, a common ingredient is what's called Black fungus, or wood ears. A great addition, i'm sure. Thank you for proving that good hot and sour soup can be made in a crockpot.
December 31, 2008 at 2:13 AM
Do not be afraid... of the neti pot. It's strange, but that doesn't make it bad. For allergies it's a big help.
January 16, 2009 at 1:12 PM
This soup was totally FANTASTIC! My dh said it was better than any hot and sour soup he'd ever eaten. Believe it or not, I was starting to get a cold when I go the email with this recipe. And, yes. Get a neti pot. And, no. Don't be afraid. Thanks for keepin' me sane!
January 25, 2009 at 12:59 PM
Instead of the chili pepper flakes try some Vietnamese hot sauce or Mexican habanero hot sauce. A teaspoonful will do ya (or as you like) and it will clear your sinuses for 2 hours!
Also, I learned to make H & S soup from a Chinese cooking teacher. Use black rice vinegar instead of plain rice vinegar for a softer, less harsh flavor. (Available in Asian food stores).
January 25, 2009 at 7:57 PM
I have a 6 qt slow cooker and it was barely 1/4 full and there was not enough liquid, I had to add more. I was kinda disappointed in the recipe. I liked the add ins (and added an egg at the end too) but the broth needs work IMHO.
January 25, 2009 at 8:16 PM
Delicious. The white pepper seems to be missing; I added it. Thanks for the recipe, I'm a hot & sour addict.
January 27, 2009 at 1:34 AM
that looks good. i will try it. and you shouldn't be scared of the neti pot. i use a small cleaned out dish liquid bottle as a neti pot when i am ill. it feels really good.
January 31, 2009 at 1:15 PM
I love hot and sour but its hard to find good in my area.
February 7, 2009 at 1:02 PM
I have to say that I found this blog and fell in love with this soup. I made it last night and kinda winged the rice vin and the chile flakes...but I gotta say that the hubby loved it. He even had some this morning and declared it better then the soup at Maxum(a local Chinese restaurant)
The kids are not big fans but at least they tried it and I can offer them something else next time.
Great Recipie!!!
February 9, 2009 at 8:04 AM
I also just put this together and wonder why there is so little liquid. Now I am wondering if I was supposed to drain the waterchestnuts or bamboo shoots. I did and I think I wasn't supposed to. Help!!
February 9, 2009 at 9:22 AM
Hi Victoria,
I don't think it matters at all if the cans are drained. I'm pretty sure I drained them.
Since I've written that post, I've realized that what I thought was a 6 quart is really a 5 quart, and I am sure I was off with the fraction, because there is only 4 cups of liquid. I really didn't know what I was doing way back then... :-)
Your mushrooms will shrink, but the liquid will stay the same. This is enough food for 2-3 people. You can certainly double the broth and spices to make more volume, if it seems more chunky than brothy.
xoxo
steph
February 9, 2009 at 9:46 AM
Hopefully you are better by now. If you get sick again... at the first sign of a cold start using Cold-Eeze. They are lozenges (like a cough drop). You just suck on it until it dissolves (use 1 every 3-4 hours) I usually only use 2-3 a day. There are various flavors--find the one you like. Within a few days the cold seems to go away or never seems to get as bad. If the cold gets into your chest also use Mucinex D. It will help you clear out the gunk from your lungs and sinuses. Hope you stay healthy. Thanks for the great recipes.
February 19, 2009 at 7:20 AM
I became a homemaker about 1 year ago and I have never been much of a cook but a friend of mine turned me to your blog and I absolutly love it. I haven't made anything yet because she just showed me how to get to it yesterday.
I will be trying this hot and sour soup later on this week.I don't have everything I need yet.
I was wondering if you have any suggestions for the following.
I have been looking for a webiste that has recipes that you can search by ingredient. I have come across new recipes that I will try and then I don't know what to make with the leftover ingredients. For example I rarely use rice vinegar but I end up having to buy the whole bottle and then I don't know what other recipes to use it in. It would be helpful to search by ingredient on your blog. Is this possible?
A new fan
March 10, 2009 at 12:58 PM
I made this soup today and it was delicious! Smelled and tasted just like restaurant hot and sour soup. I doubled the broth and threw in extra tofu and vegetables to make more. Delicious! Thank you for the wonderful recipe :)
March 25, 2009 at 8:17 AM
Love Hot Sour Soup! The only thing I would change in this recipe is that I would add the tofu at the end. It turned an unattractive color.
April 25, 2009 at 9:39 AM
I've been looking for a hot and sour soup recipe and this looks really good. I'm going to try it. Hope you're feeling better by now!
May 20, 2009 at 8:20 AM
Oh you have just made me happy... I love Hot and Sour Soup... and its really hard to find good here.. Most of the restraunts put pork (which I don't eat) and if not they have other meat, which while I'm normally a carnivore... not so much w/ this. Plus some leave out the tofu and this is the one thing I really like it in! I'm so gonna have to try this soon...
June 5, 2009 at 5:32 PM
Oh no.. everyone loved it but me!!! I made it exact to the recipe. I even cooked it on low for the 7 to 8 hours. It was horrible. Hubby shoved it down, but threw away the left overs. I had a sandwich!
HA...
Were my hopes too high?
Have I had PF Changs too much?
August 11, 2009 at 10:42 PM
Unfortunately I added cornstarch to the soup to try to get the same thickness as a favorite restaurant's hot and sour. Well it just ruined the flavor of the soup and it strangely didn't get thick. Oh well. Next time I may just make the broth part of the soup and add in some shrimp to recreate a shrimp hot and sour soup I had on a cruise ship.
I do want to tell you that I am loving your blog. I just found this website last night and look forward to trying more of your recipes since I really want to use my crock pot more often! Next time I'll not screw it up though! ha ha.
August 16, 2009 at 3:57 PM
I made this on Sunday. LOVED IT. I'm not a big fan of tofu, so I used maybe half of the suggested amount and cut it into really tiny pieces. I ate it all. Only 1 pt a bowl if you are on WW.
January 6, 2010 at 1:44 PM
Made it today and it is wonderful.. I used a can of chop suey vegetables instead of chestnuts and bamboo since I had it on hand. Do not skimp on the time. I did it slow and checked it at @ 7 hours and felt the mushrooms needed a bit more time.
Thanks for the awesome recipe!
March 1, 2010 at 4:57 PM
Is it possible to make this w/ out the Tofu, bamboo shoots & water chestnuts? I don't like any of those. Maybe it won't really BE Hot and Sour soup then, but I will not eat those 3 items. Won't do it.
April 4, 2010 at 2:33 PM
@Coppertop:
I made it tonight without those things (because I didn't have them on hand). Instead, I used cabbage, half an onion, and mushrooms, keeping the broth the same. It was delicious (and exactly what my almost-cold needed).
Crockpot Lady, you're awesome! I had a couple of crockpots that I never used because I don't like cream of something soup and my kid is allergic to milk. Now, I cook in them at least 4x per week, and at least once per week, I cook a meal using 3 crockpots at once. And, my family is getting healthy, delicious, and frugal meals! Thanks so much for teaching me to cook!
January 13, 2011 at 4:08 PM
I bought a neti pot today. Could not stand to be sick any longer. Hope I sleep better tonight. Going to try the soup too.
January 13, 2011 at 4:21 PM
Just got around to trying this, and it was delicious! I was frying egg rolls tonight, and I decided to fry some egg roll wrappers because I wanted the little crunchies that the chinese restaurants give you. It worked perfectly. No need to order take out now!
January 18, 2011 at 6:10 PM
This soup is sooo gooood! We live out in the sticks, and don't get to eat Asian very often.I cooked it on the stove top, and it took me about 8 minutes and it was ready to eat. I used a bit more sesame oil, canned mushrooms, and a little more red pepper, and we both thoroughly enjoyed it. Thank you!
April 19, 2011 at 4:30 PM
Tried this tonight and it was delicious! I had to adjust some of the amounts to taste, but it was great. I will be making it again soon.
January 28, 2012 at 6:23 PM
We have the exact same crock pot and I love cooking in it. I'm going to try each of your recipes, starting with this one. And...though I'm a few years late, if you haven't already...TRY THE NETI POT. Don't be afraid, it works wonders.
Best to you, and many thanks for posting your recipes. :)
February 23, 2012 at 11:29 PM
I took your recipe, added chopped lemongrass, added a half teaspoon of red curry paste, another cup of chicken broth (I use Better Than Bouillon) and replaced the green onion with cilantro. So good!
December 5, 2013 at 3:17 PM
I am definitely going to make this. Love my crock, love hot and sour soup. And you know what, every time I get a cold, I have always immediately craved hot and sour soup for the past 10 years.
And don't use a netipot, use those nasal rinse bottles. Less freaky.
November 24, 2014 at 9:45 AM
I made this for dinner tonight (a cold, wet, rainy night in January) and it was SO GOOD. I did add the extra hot pepper flakes and vinegar as you suggested. Wonderful recipe -- I will be making this again soon, and trying more of your recipes. Thanks!
January 18, 2015 at 9:41 PM
Hello
I love slow cooking and your site as well. My mother is coming over for dinner tonight and I am making both the super simple Mongolian Beef and Apricot Braised Lamb chops. Hopefully enough leftovers for her to eat for a few days. Will let you know what I think of the recipes. My fiancée and I loved the Fried Rice recipe and will be serving it with the Mongolian Beef. My fiancée is Pilipino and when I am sick she feeds me Watercress soup with chicken or pork and I can eat gallons of it. No slow cooker recipe though but cooks up fast-as you said-want it NOW. Thanks for all the excellent recipes. I'm Canadian and cook with a lot of herbs and spices, can you please add recipes that incorporate these additions.
Thank-you
Bryon Parry
August 14, 2016 at 4:55 AM
Not a fan of tofu or mushrooms. Guessing its ok to substitute chicken or beef for the tofu and use other veggies instead of mushrooms? Just wanted your input.
August 15, 2017 at 12:25 PM
Hi there, sure thing! no problem at all -- I'd just cut the meat into strips or 1/2-inch or so chunks. enjoy!!
August 15, 2017 at 4:00 PM