Hot and Sour Soup (Suan La Tang)

Hot and sour soup is a Sichuan classic that has traveled the world, though the home version is fresher and more balanced than most restaurant renditions. It is the kind of soup that warms you from the inside on a cold evening, and it comes together in about half an hour. Restaurant versions are often thick and heavy, but the home style is lighter and clearer, which lets the contrast of gentle heat and bright vinegar shine.

A peppery, vinegary broth for cold evenings

The heat comes from white pepper rather than chilies, which gives it a clean, sinus-clearing warmth, and the sour comes from black vinegar poured in at the very end. Silky egg ribbons, chewy wood ear mushrooms, and crisp bamboo shoots make every spoonful a little different. It is a forgiving soup, so feel free to add whatever vegetables are in the fridge, and a splash more vinegar at the table lets everyone adjust the sourness to taste.

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