Spring Equinox · Breakfast · Blood Stasis
Hot and sour wood ear and tofu noodle soup
A gently sour, peppery broth with wood ear and tofu that wakes up the appetite and warms you, with heat to taste.
- 20 min
- Serves 2
- Simmer
- Easy
WarmingMoves bloodWarms the middle
Why it suits you: Blood-stasis types tend towards sluggish circulation, a dull complexion and cold hands around the equinox. Wood ear moves blood, vinegar disperses stasis and pepper warms the middle: a mildly hot and sour bowl that gets things moving without being harsh.
Method
Prep 10 min · Cook 10 min- 1Soak the wood ear the night before. Boil the noodles for 2 minutes and divide between bowls.
- 2Bring the stock to the boil, add the wood ear and tofu for 3 minutes, season with soy sauce and pepper, then thicken lightly with the slurry.
- 3Drizzle in the egg to form ribbons, turn off the heat, stir in the vinegar and pour over the noodles.
Cautions
- Halve the vinegar and pepper if you have excess stomach acid or an ulcer.
Chef's tips
- Add the vinegar off the heat so its aroma is not cooked away.
The TCM view
Wood ear is sweet and neutral, moving blood and unblocking the channels. Vinegar is sour, bitter and warm and disperses stasis; white pepper is pungent and hot and warms the middle; tofu harmonises. Together they move blood and warm.
