As we were cutting our Rhubarb for Rhubarb Chicken “Casterole,” we began musing about ways to make a Savory Rhubarb recipe where the rhubarb isn’t toned down with other ingredients…but instead is allowed to embrace its glorious natural sour/bitterness. That brought our attention to a food that embraces a sour flavour to the point where the word is even built into the name: Hot and Sour Soup.
So, we got to work trying to figure out how to turn Rhubarb into a component that could replace the vinegar in a traditional Hot and Sour Soup! We began by dicing our rhubarb and sautéing it with sliced garlic until the rhubarb structure broke down and turned into a paste. Our hope was that adding that paste to a simmering pot of veggie stock would cause it to break down further and seamlessly (and non-chunkily) incorporate itself into the soup base. We are thrilled to report that it worked like a charm!
Not only did it work from a textural standpoint, but the Rhubarb also delivered the exact sour note we hoped it would, and this soup turned out to be really tasty (and let’s face it, it could have just as easily been a disaster). If you find yourself with an overabundance of Rhubarb and aren’t sure what to do with it, we suggest making this on a cool/rainy day!
Time: 60 Minutes
Ingredients:
- 8-10 Cups of Vegetable Stock
- Extra Firm Tofu
- 3 Stalks of Rhubarb
- 3 Cloves of Garlic
- Shredded Carrot
- 3-5 Stalks of Celery
- Red Pepper Flakes
- 1 Tablespoon Soy Sauce
- 1/4 Cup Corn Starch
- 1/4 Cup Warm Water
- Scallion Onions
Method:
- Pour your stock into a large soup pot, add in your soy sauce, and begin to bring it to a simmer.
- Julienne your celery, and add it to your stock along with your red pepper flakes and carrots, and let that all simmer so your celery is nice and soft by the time the soup is ready.
- Peel your garlic, and slice it thinly along with your rhubarb.
- Heat a little oil in a pan, and begin to cook your rhubarb and garlic. Sauté until your rhubarb dissolves into almost a paste. Then, scoop your rhubarb paste into your soup pot, and stir it in well. (It will continue to dissolve as it simmers, and by the end, you won’t even see any traces of it in your soup…but the taste will remain).
- Dice your tofu into small chunks, and add it to your soup as well, and let everything simmer (covered) until your celery is soft.
- As your soup simmers, slice your scallion into ribbons for garnish.
- Once your celery is soft and pliable, combine your corn starch and warm water in a measuring cup, and stir to fully incorporate the two. Then, pour that into your pot, and allow your soup to thicken.
- Bowl, top with scallions, devour, and enjoy!
