I am a hot and sour soup SNOB, for sure! I could eat it every day, but since I live 47 miles from the closest Chinese restaurant, and I'm on a budget as far as buying ingredients...I dreamed this up, and trust me, it is yummy. Not the real thing for sure, but it satisfies my cravings. I use Maruchan Ramen in either the oriental or shrimp flavor. You can use any brand rice vinegar, seasoned or unseasoned, and for the heat, I use only Sriracha HOT Chili Sauce. (or as we call it, rooster sauce, because of the picture of the rooster on the bottle.)