[DC Sunshine]

BDL - superb recipe, and info, thank you.

Any substitute for lily buds that might be more readily available? Live in a small town here, very limited ingredient wise.

Is it, as you say, an absolute essential for this soup?

Cheers,
DC

[shel]

Originally Posted by boar_d_laze

The right vinegar is Chinese black vinegar. A decent substitute is mixing rice vinegar and red-wine vinegar 50/50. All of these are milder than American distilled vinegar, or cider vinegar, both of which make adequate substitutes -- but you'll have to adjust. Avoid sherry, balsamic and malt vinegars. These bring their own agenda. You control the ultimate "sourness" with vinegar (duh). Again, control your recipe -- rather than the other way around. Don't be afraid to start with a little less and add more. Perhaps substantially more, if that's how you like it. You can do this immediately before service. If there's an extreme vinegar lover at the table, keep the soup mild and pass a cruet.

I agree with the use of a good, Chinese black vinegar - which is a rice vinegar - like Chinkiang brand if you can get it. I don't think red wine vinegar has any place in a hot and sour soup recipe. If black vinegar isn't available, Eden Foods or Mitoku brown rice vinegar, both made on the island of Kyushu in Japan, make a good substitute with their own flavor profile. As far as I can tell, both are made by the same people. IMO, this is the greatest brown rice vinegar in the world ...

KYUSHU BROWN RICE VINEGAR
MAKING MITOKU BROWN RICE VINEGAR

In any case, definitely add the vinegar last, at the end of cooking, in order to maintain its flavor.

scb

[boar_d_laze]

Originally Posted by DC Sunshine

Any substitute for lily buds that might be more readily available? Live in a small town here, very limited ingredient wise. []Is it, as you say, an absolute essential for this soup?

No substitute, but the soup can limp along without it. You can find them online. This is the first source I found myEthnicWorld.com – Premier online provider of authentic ethnic products and services Click on vegetables, then "other." I'm sure there are other online sources, but finding this one took a little patience. Nothing direct popped up on the first two pages of my Google search.

I forgot what I wrote in the recipe, but in case I didn't cover prepping dried lily buds (aka "golden needles," aka "tiger buds"), you have to reconstitute them in warm water; trim off the woody bits, then shred the rest with your fingers.

Good luck on the black vinegar. My favorite brand is "Pearl River Bridge," should you find a selection which includes it.

BDL