Chinese Hot & Sour Soup

6 cups chicken stock

1/4 lb julienned lean pork or chicken

2 tbsp garlic & red chile paste

2 tbsp soy sauce

3/4 tsp ground white pepper

4 eggs, beaten

5 tbsp cornstarch

1 cup sliced shittake mushrooms

1 can peeled straw mushrooms

1 can sliced bamboo shoots

1 can sliced water chestnuts

1 can baby corn ears

1 cake soft tofu, sliced into 1/4 inch cubes

1/4 cup white vinegar

1 tsp sesame oil

1/4 cup dried black fungus (cloud ears), soaked in water for one hour, drained and sliced.

finely chopped scallions for garnish

 

1. Bring stock to a simmer, add soy, pork, mushrooms & chile paste, simmer for 10 minutes.

2. add pepper, vinegar, bamboo, baby corn, water chestnuts, fungus and tofu, simmer 10 min

3. Mix cornstarch with 5 tbsp water and add. bring back to a simmer and pour the eggs in a very thin stream over the surface. Let stand for 10 seconds before gently stirring in the sesame oil.

4. serve with a garnish of chopped scallions. The pepper, vinegar and chile paste can be varied to taste. You're a chile-head, you know what to do!