Quick 'n Dirty Hot and Sour Soup

Looks kind of strange, tastes awesome

This recipe is based on a traditional San Francisco Chinatown recipe for Hot and Sour Soup. The full recipe is a bit laborious, but I adapted this one for cold days when you don't have time to do a lot of fiddling around. I have yet to find something that does more wonders for a cold than this soup!


- 4 c low sodium chicken broth
- 5 oz sliced water chestnuts
- 5 oz sliced mushrooms
- 1/4 head of green cabbage, sliced
- 2 cloves garlic
- 1 Tbsp minced or grated ginger
- 2 Tbsp cornstarch
- 2 Tbsp rice vinegar
- 1 tsp sesame oil
- 2 Tbsp low sodium soy sauce
- 1 tsp white pepper
- 1 tsp chili oil or 1 small hot pepper, minced (optional)
- 1 egg, beaten
- 1 pack firm tofu, cut into small cubes
- 3 green onions, chopped

1. In a large pot, bring the stock to a boil.
2. Add the water chestnuts and return to a boil.
3. Add the mushrooms, cabbage, garlic and ginger. Return to a boil.
4. In a small bowl, dissolve the cornstarch in 1/4 c of the soup. Return to the pot. Stir to incorporate.
5. In a small bowl, combine the vinegar, oil, soy sauce, white pepper and chili oil. Combine well and add to the soup. Stir and cook for another 3 minutes.
6. Trickle the egg into the soup. Add the tofu and green onions. Stir to incorporate.
7. Serve hot, over rice noodles if desired. Pairs well with green tea. Enjoy!

Baked Egg Rolls

This is one of my favorite recipes: these baked egg rolls taste restaurant-quality (without the bad deep frying!). It's also a great recipe to make if your veggies are about to go bad!

- 1/4c soy sauce

- 1/2 Tbsp corn starch

- 1 Tbsp vegetable oil (I prefer grapeseed)

- 1/2 tsp minced garlic

- 1'' fresh ginger, peeled and grated

- 3 medium green onions, sliced
- 4 oz mushrooms, sliced

- 2 medium carrots, peeled and grated

- 1/2 white or red onion, sliced

- 1 small head green cabbage, sliced (cut into quarter and remove the core before slicing)

- 1 tsp sesame oil

- 20 egg roll wrappers
- sweet and sour sauce, for dipping

1. Preheat the oven to 425 degrees.
2. Dissolve the cornstarch in the soy sauce. Set aside.
3. Put a large skillet or wok over medium heat and sauté the garlic, ginger, and green onions until slightly softened (1-2 minutes). Add the mushrooms and continue to sauté until softened (~5 minutes). Add the carrot, onion and cabbage. Combine and cook until the cabbage has reduced in volume by a half, stirring often.
4. Add cornstarch mix to the skillet and stir to coat the vegetables. Drizzle the sesame oil in. Transfer to a bowl to cool.

The filling

5. To fill the egg rolls: Lay a wrapper out flat. Place 1/4 -1/3 cup of the veggies just off the center. Roll the corner up and over the filling, fold each side in, and then roll the rest of the way up. Keep a small bowl of water nearby and use it as glue to hold the corners of the egg roll wrapper in place.

Folding the egg rolls

6. Cover a baking sheet with foil. Place the egg rolls on the baking sheet and brush lightly with oil. Roll them over and coat the other side. Bake for about 20 minutes or until golden brown, flipping the egg rolls over halfway through cooking.
7. Serve with hot and sour sauce. Pairs well with light beers, particularly lagers.