Dou Dou (豆豆)
This vegan hot and sour soup brings the classic Chinese 酸辣汤 (suān là tāng) to your breakfast table — silky tofu, tofu puffs, mushrooms and wood ear in a glossy, peppery broth that wakes up every taste bud. 一碗酸辣开胃的素汤，嫩豆腐、豆包和菌菇吸满浓郁汤汁，酸、辣、鲜层层递进，早晨喝完整个人都舒服了。
📹 Watch the Recipe
Recipe adapted from Chu’s Vegan (每周更新 · New Video Every Week)
🥘 Why This Recipe Works
Hot and sour soup is the ultimate Chinese pantry-cleaner — a handful of everyday vegetables, a splash of black vinegar, and a generous cloud of white pepper transform humble ingredients into something deeply satisfying. This vegan version keeps every bit of the classic’s character: the tang of aged vinegar, the tingle of pepper, and a silky cornstarch-thickened broth that clings to each piece of tofu.
The genius of Chu’s approach is the turmeric-tossed tofu puffs — the golden shreds soak up broth like little sponges, adding a beautiful color and a soft, chewy texture that stands in beautifully for egg. Blanching the vegetables for just 30 seconds keeps them crisp and bright, while the seasonings go straight into the serving bowl so the hot soup blooms them at the very last moment.
Eight ingredients, one pot, fifteen minutes — this is the kind of vegan comfort food that proves plant-based eating needs no compromise. 十五分钟、一锅搞定，酸辣鲜香俱全，是素食者也能痛快享用的经典中式暖汤。
🛒 Ingredients
| Ingredient 食材 | Amount 用量 | Notes 备注 |
|---|---|---|
| Silken tofu 内酯豆腐 | 100 g | Soft, custard-like; cut into thin strips |
| Tofu puffs 嫩豆包 | 80 g | Shredded and tossed with turmeric |
| Enoki mushrooms 金针菇 | 50 g | Trimmed and cut into shorter pieces |
| Wood ear mushrooms 黑木耳 | 8 朵 | Soaked until soft, sliced into strips |
| Button mushrooms 口蘑 | 4 个 | Sliced thinly |
| Vegan ham 素火腿 | 50 g | Julienned; adds savory depth |
| Carrot 胡萝卜 | 60 g | Julienned for color and crunch |
| Cilantro 香菜 | 2 株 | Chopped; half for the bowl, half to garnish |
| Light soy sauce 生抽 | 1 大勺 | Seasoning |
| Brown sugar 赤砂糖 | ½ 小勺 | Balances the vinegar’s sharpness |
| Chinese black vinegar 陈醋 | 2 大勺 | The signature tang — do not skip |
| Ground white pepper 白胡椒粉 | 2 小勺 | The signature heat |
| Julienned ginger 姜丝 | 5 g | Seasoning |
| Sesame oil 香油 | 1 小勺 | Finish, right before serving |
| Turmeric powder 姜黄粉 | ½ 小勺 | Colors and seasons the tofu puffs |
| Vegetable broth 素高汤 | 800 ml | Or water + 1 vegan bouillon cube |
| Cornstarch slurry 水淀粉 | 适量 | ~2 tbsp cornstarch + 3 tbsp water |
👨🍳 Instructions
Step 1 — Prep the ingredients
- Shred the tofu puffs into bite-size strips and toss with the turmeric powder until evenly golden.
- Cut the enoki mushrooms into shorter pieces, chop the cilantro, and julienne the carrot, vegan ham, button mushrooms and wood ear into fine strips.
- Blanch everything except the tofu puffs in boiling water for 30 seconds, then drain well.
Step 2 — Build the seasoning bowl
- Into a large serving bowl, add the ground white pepper, Chinese black vinegar, julienned ginger, half the cilantro and the sesame oil.
- Set the bowl aside — the hot soup will bloom these aromatics at the end.
Step 3 — Simmer the broth
- Bring the vegetable broth to a rolling boil in a pot.
- Add the turmeric tofu puffs and all the blanched vegetables, then season with light soy sauce and brown sugar.
- Let everything simmer for 2–3 minutes so the flavors marry.
Step 4 — Thicken and serve
- Stir the cornstarch slurry well, then pour it in gradually while stirring, until the soup turns glossy and lightly thickened.
- Ladle the hot soup straight into the prepared seasoning bowl and stir to combine.
- Garnish with the remaining cilantro and serve immediately — best enjoyed piping hot.
💡 Tips & Substitutions
| Problem / Question | Fix / Answer |
|---|---|
| No Chinese black vinegar? | Substitute rice vinegar plus a squeeze of lemon for a similar tang; the flavor will be slightly lighter. |
| Want it spicier? | Add ½ tsp chili flakes or a drizzle of chili oil with the white pepper. |
| Broth too thin? | Add the cornstarch slurry in two batches — wait 30 seconds between each so the soup thickens gradually without going gluey. |
| No vegan ham? | Swap for extra mushrooms or a few rehydrated shiitake slices for umami depth. |
📊 Nutrition
Approximate per serving (serves 2): ~240 cal · 12 g protein · 9 g fat · 28 g carbs · 5 g fiber. High in plant protein and fiber, low in saturated fat.
Ingredients
Method
- Shred the tofu puffs and toss with turmeric. Cut enoki short, chop cilantro, julienne carrot, vegan ham, button mushrooms and wood ear. Blanch everything except tofu puffs for 30 seconds, then drain.
- Add white pepper, black vinegar, ginger, half the cilantro and sesame oil to a large serving bowl. The hot soup will bloom these aromatics at the end.
- Bring vegetable broth to a boil. Add turmeric tofu puffs and blanched vegetables. Season with light soy sauce and brown sugar. Simmer 2-3 minutes.
- Stir cornstarch slurry, then pour in gradually while stirring until glossy and lightly thickened. Ladle hot soup into the seasoning bowl, stir, garnish with cilantro, serve immediately.
Notes
🌱 Why This Dish
酸辣汤 (suān là tāng) has been a beloved part of northern Chinese cuisine for centuries — its tangy, peppery broth was historically prized for warming the body and sharpening the appetite, especially on cold mornings. The name tells the whole story: 酸 (suān, sour) from the aged black vinegar and 辣 (là, hot) from white pepper, the two forces that define the dish’s character.
In Buddhist temple kitchens, hot and sour soup became a natural vegetarian staple: the classic thickening relies on cornstarch rather than eggs, and the umami depth comes from mushrooms rather than meat stock. This plant-based version honors that tradition — every ingredient is a vegetable, yet the broth is anything but plain. It’s the kind of dish that proves vegetarian cooking in the Chinese tradition is not about subtraction, but about coaxing flavor from what grows in the ground.
Today, hot and sour soup is served everywhere from street-side breakfast stalls in Beijing to banquet tables across the diaspora — proof that a humble bowl of soup can carry an entire cuisine’s philosophy. 一碗酸辣汤，藏着中国素食传统千百年来的智慧与温度。
