Hot and sour soup is a test of a Hakka kitchen because there is nowhere to hide. The stock is simmered in-house, the vegetables are shredded fine so they cook through without turning to mush, and the balance of vinegar to pepper is adjusted every single day.
Order it vegetarian, or with shredded chicken or shrimp. Guests picking up on the way home from Highway 401 or the Wellington Road offices often add a soup to a noodle order — it travels well in a sealed container and reheats in a minute.
How We Make Hot & Sour Soup
Balance is everything, and it comes from three decisions.
Stock simmered in-house
A proper base gives the soup body before any thickening goes in, so it never tastes like cornstarch and water.
Pepper for heat, vinegar for sour
White pepper carries the warmth and rice vinegar carries the tang — chilli is a supporting note, not the lead.
Vegetables shredded fine
Cabbage, carrot, mushroom and spring onion are cut into fine threads so every spoonful has texture.
What to Order With Hot & Sour Soup
Soup first, then something from the wok. The classic South London order looks like this:
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Steamed Momos – Hand-folded Nepali dumplings steamed to order with tomato achar dip.
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Hakka Noodles – Springy wok-tossed noodles with julienned vegetables and dark soy.
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Chilli Chicken – Crispy boneless chicken wok-tossed with onions, peppers and chilli-garlic sauce.
