Vegetable hot and sour soup

Half century!Yes,Its my 50th post and our anniversary too.Hot and sour soup is a Chinese cuisine.This soup is tangy and spicy,yet tasty.Soup is the favorite appetizer  at our place.We can use any seasonal vegetables in this soup.This is the best way to serve the kids with  a nutritious diet.

Recipe adapted from-Nita Mehta
Serves-6
Ingredients for the paste:
Dry red chillies ( soaked in water for 10 minutes)- 3
Garlic flakes-2
Vinegar-2 tsp
Water-2 tbsp
Other Ingredients:
Oil-2 tbsp
Tender fresh beans- 1-2 (sliced very finely)- (3-4 tbsp)
Dried mushrooms- 1-2 tbsp or 2-3 fresh mushrooms(chopped)
Cabbage(Chopped) – ½ cup
Carrot (thickly grated)- ½ cup
Vegetable seasoning cubes(maggie)-2  (powdered/crushed)
Tomato ketchup – 1 tbsp
Sugar- 1 tsp
Salt-1 ¼ tsp
Pepper powder- ½ tsp ( or to taste)
Soya sauce – 2 tbsp
Vinegar- 1 ½ tbsp
Cornflour – 6 tbsp mixed with ½ cup water

Method:
  1. Soak dry red chillies in a little water for 10 minutes.
  2. For the chilli-garlic paste, drain the red chillies and  grind red chillies, garlic and vinegar roughly with 2 tbsp water in a small coffee or spice grinder.
  3. If dry mushrooms are available, soak them in hot water for ½ hour to soften.
  4. Wash thoroughly to clean the dirt in them and cut away the hard stem portion and then cut into smaller pieces.
  5. Heat 2 tbsp oil and add beans and mushrooms.
  6. Stir fry for 1-2 minutes on high flame. 
  7. Add cabbage and carrots and stir for a few seconds.
  8. Add chilli-garlic paste, sugar, salt, pepper, Soya sauce, vinegar and tomato ketchup and boil for 2 minutes.
  9. Add 6 cups of water and the seasoning cubes.
  10. Add cornflour paste, stirring continuously.
  11. Cook for 2-3 minutes till the soup turns thick. 
  12. Check salt and remove from fire and serve hot.
       Tips:
       You can also add cooked and shredded chicken pieces for the hot and sour chicken soup.
       I have not added mushrooms.

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