Me rikey a good hot and sour soup. Unfortunately, it is too hit and miss getting a good version from the restaurants in this area. I have tried using recipes from Google and making my own to try and satisfy the cravings, but I'm not having much success in even getting close. I like it thicker, but not gloppy & more sour than hot. I feel like I have figured out the thickening part with potato starch (supposedly isn't affected as much by vinegar as corn starch is). I also like the white pepper for the heat which doesn't burn my mouth, but makes my head sweat. The major problem I can't seem to solve is choosing the right vinegar. For the really good versions of hot and sour soup that I have had in the past, I have found that the most pleasant vinegar flavor hits me on the sides of my mouth towards the back. I have tried white vinegar, black vinegar of multiple varieties, balsamic vinegar, rice vinegar, cider vinegar. I am a TOTAL amateur when it comes to cooking so I don't really have any idea of the best way to figure this out regarding the right vinegar in the right amount and/or if there is some other component that works to get the vinegar in the right balance.
So, I am looking for some guidance from the CS community in figuring out an excellent version of hot and sour soup. Any ideas for me?
