Hot & Sour Chicken Soup

When we think about ordering a soup at any restaurant, the first name which comes to our mind will be hot and sour chicken soup. How many of you thought of making this at home. The soups we have from restaurants might be using taste makers like Ajinomoto and colours which is harmful to health. We can simply make this at home by using good quality ingredients. Also, with the cost of 2 soups from a normal restaurant, you can make the same at least for 5 to 6 members in a family. Here is a simple method to make tasty hot and sour chicken soup at home.

Ingredients

1. Chicken               -  100 g 
2. Onion                  -  1 (finely chopped)
3. Garlic                  - 5 cloves (finely chopped)
4. Ginger                 - 1 inch piece (finely chopped)
5. Dark soya sauce  - 2 tbsp
6. Sugar                   - 1/2 tsp
7. Chicken stock      - 1 Litre
8. Egg                      - 1
9. Corn flour            - 2 to 3 tbsp (Mix it with 4 tbsp water and keep it aside)
10. Red chilly sauce  - 2 tbsp (You can vary this with respect to your requirement of spiciness)
11. Vineger                - 2 tbsp
12. Pepper powder     - 1/2 tsp
13. Salt                       - To taste
14. Oil                        - 2 Tbsp
15. Vegetables           - 250 g (This can be a mixture of all or any of the available listed below)

• Capsicum (You can use 3 coloured capsicum for a better look)
• French beans
• Baby corn
• Carrot
• Cabbage
• Mushroom
• celery or Spring onion

Preparation

1. Boil chicken pieces about 10 minutes with little salt and pepper in 1 1/4 litres of water and then cut it to small pieces suitable for soup. You can use the remaining water as chicken stock.
2. Heat oil in a deep bottom pan. Add chopped garlic, onion and ginger and stir well for 2 minutes.
3. Add chicken pieces and all chopped vegetables except capsicum and cabbage.
4. Add Soya sauce, Sugar and mix it well. 
5. Add chicken stock and then keep it on low flame for 2 minutes.
6. Add chilly sauce, cabbage and capsicum and continue cooking.
7. Add the cornstarch mix slowly without forming lumps and mix well. Now the soup will starts to thicken. 
8. Continue to cook on low flame and drizzle the egg slowly by holding a fork over the bowl.
9. Let the soup stand for 1 minute to finish cooking the eggs. 
   
10. Lastly add vinegar, salt and pepper powder. This is for making it "hot and sour". So, you can decide the spiciness and sourness according to your taste.
11. Take off from heat and serve immediately.