Hot Sour Chicken Soup with Lotus Shoots

5.0 from 2 votes

Some soups stay with you for life. Not because they are fancy or complicated, but because they carry a memory, a smell, a feeling of home. This Hot Sour Chicken Soup with Lotus Shoots is one of those soups for me.

It’s the kind of soup that quietly simmers on the stove while the house fills with the sharp smell of lemongrass and kaffir lime leaves. Sour from tamarind, gently sweet, a little spicy if you want it to be. Every spoonful feels warm and clean at the same time.

This soup comes from Khmer Krom country cooking, where food is simple, honest, and deeply tied to nature. It is not rushed food. It is food you make when you want to slow down and take care of the people around your table.

Why You’ll Love This Soup

This soup is light, but deeply comforting. It doesn’t sit heavy in your stomach, yet it satisfies in a quiet way. The sourness wakes you up, while the warm broth calms you down.

You’ll love how easy it is to make. There’s no complicated timing, no special techniques. If you can chop, stir, and taste, you can make this soup.

Most of all, this is a soup that feels nourishing. Lotus shoots are gentle and crunchy, chicken is tender, and the herbs add freshness right at the end. It tastes clean, like something your body understands.

My Personal Experience

Growing up, lotus plants were everywhere. Ponds near our home, fields after the rain, quiet places where dragonflies hovered. The lotus wasn’t just a plant. It was part of our daily life and our beliefs.

In Buddhism, the lotus flower stands for purity and calm. Even though it grows in muddy water, it comes out clean and beautiful. That idea stayed with me, especially when cooking with lotus shoots.

As a child, I loved fresh lotus seeds the most. We cracked them open with our fingers and ate them slowly, standing near the pond. When my elders cooked lotus shoots in soup, I knew it would be a good meal day. The sound of bubbling soup still brings me back there.

Easy-to-Find Ingredients

You don’t need anything fancy for this recipe. Most ingredients can be found at Asian grocery stores, and many are already in your kitchen.

Lotus shoots are often sold boiled and packed, which makes life easier. Lemongrass can be fresh or frozen. Herbs can be adjusted based on what you find.

This soup is forgiving. If you’re missing one herb, it will still taste good. That’s how home cooking should be.

Ingredients List

2 tablespoons vegetable oil
2 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
1/4 cup minced lemongrass (fresh or frozen)
1 lb (450 g) chicken breast or thigh, cut into bite-size pieces
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
4 cups water
2 kaffir lime leaves
2 tablespoons tamarind juice
2 tablespoons sugar
2 tablespoons fish sauce
8 oz (230 g) boiled lotus shoots, rinsed and drained
1 tomato, cut into wedges
1 stalk green onion, chopped into ½-inch pieces
1/2 cup chopped sweet basil and paddy rice herb
2 red hot chili peppers, chopped (optional)

Why These Ingredients Are Used

Lemongrass – adds a fresh, citrus smell that defines the soup
Kaffir lime leaves – bring a deep, clean aroma to the broth
Tamarind juice – gives the soup its gentle sour taste
Lotus shoots – provide crunch and a mild, earthy flavor
Fish sauce – adds salt and depth without heaviness
Fresh herbs – balance the sourness with fragrance

Cooking Equipment Needed

Soup pot – large enough to simmer everything comfortably
Cutting board – for safe, easy chopping
Sharp knife – makes prep calm and smooth
Wooden spoon – gentle stirring without scraping the pot

Cooking Instructions

Start by warming your soup pot over medium heat. Don’t rush this part. A warm pot helps release flavors properly.

When the oil goes in, listen for that soft sizzle. Garlic browns quickly, so stay close. Once golden, remove it and set aside. This little step adds so much flavor later.

The chicken cooks gently with lemongrass, soaking up aroma before water is added. When the broth begins to bubble, the kitchen starts to smell alive. That’s when you know you’re on the right path.

Step-by-Step Directions

Heat the soup pot over medium heat.
Add vegetable oil and sliced garlic. Sauté until golden, then remove and set aside.
Add lemongrass and chicken to the pot. Season with salt and black pepper.
Lightly brown the chicken, stirring gently.
Add water and kaffir lime leaves. Simmer until chicken is tender.
Season with tamarind juice, sugar, and fish sauce. Stir and taste.
Add lotus shoots and tomato. Cook until soup bubbles again.
Turn off heat and top with green onion, herbs, chili, and toasted garlic.
Serve hot with rice.

Tips for Best Flavor

Taste as you go. Sour and sweet should feel balanced.
Don’t overcook lotus shoots; they should stay slightly crunchy.
Add herbs last to keep their fresh smell.

Serving Suggestions

Serve with hot jasmine rice
Pair with simple grilled fish
Enjoy as a light dinner or calming lunch

Final Thoughts

This Hot Sour Chicken Soup with Lotus Shoots is more than just a recipe. It’s a reminder of slow cooking, quiet kitchens, and meals made with care. Every time I make it, I feel grounded, like I’m bringing a small piece of my past into the present.

If you enjoy gentle, comforting soups, you might also like Chicken with Preserved Lemon Soup or Chicken Sweet Sour Soup with Water Spinach, both recipes I often cook when I want something nourishing and familiar.

For more about lotus in Southeast Asian cooking and culture, you may enjoy reading A Beginner’s Guide to Southeast Asian Cooking from cultural food archives.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Q: Can I use pork instead of chicken?

A: Yes, pork works well, especially pork ribs.

Q: Is this soup very spicy?

A: No. The chili is optional and easy to adjust.

Q: Can I make this ahead of time?

A: Yes, but add herbs fresh when reheating.

Hot Sour Chicken Soup with Lotus Shoots

Recipe by Cambodia Recipe

5.0 from 2 votes

Course: SoupCuisine: CambodianDifficulty: Easy

Servings

servings

Prep time

minutes

Cooking time

minutes

Calories

220

kcal

Total time

minutes

A light, comforting Khmer Krom soup made with chicken, lotus shoots, lemongrass, and tamarind, offering a gentle balance of sour, sweet, and warmth.

Ingredients

Metric US

2 tablespoons 2 vegetable oil
2 cloves 2 garlic, sliced thin
1/4 cup 1/4 fresh or frozen minced lemon grass
1 lb 1 (450 gram) of chicken breast or thigh, cut chunk bite sizes
1/4 teaspoon 1/4 salt
1/4 teaspoon 1/4 black pepper
4 cups 4 water
2 2 kaffir lime leaf
2 tablespoons 2 tamarind juice
2 tablespoons 2 sugar
2 tablespoons 2 fish sauce
8 oz 8 (230 gram) of boiled lotus shoot, rinsed with cold water and drained
1 1 tomato, sliced wedged of bite sizes
1 1 stalk of green onion chopped ½ inch in length
1/2 cup 1/2 chopped sweet basil leaves and paddy rice herb
2 2 chopped red hot chili pepper (option)

Directions

Pre-heat a soup pot.
When soup pot is hot, add oil and garlic, sauté garlic till it brown, removed toasted garlic from oil and set it a side.
Add lemon grass, chicken, with salt and black pepper in soup pot with hot oil, slightly brown chicken meat.
Add water and kaffir lime leaves and cook till chicken meat tender.
Seasoning with tamarind juice, sugar, and fish sauce.
Add lotus shoot, stirs and cook till soup bubbling.
Top with green onion, herbs, hot chili pepper and roasted garlic.