Hot and Sour Soup

  • 4

Ingredients

  • FOR THE PORK:
  • 1 T soy sauce
  • 1 T Shao Xing wine
  • 1 t cornstarch
  • 1/2 # lean pork, cut into 1/4" dice
  • FOR THE SOUP:
  • 3 T cornstarch
  • 8 c chicken or pork stock
  • 3 T soy sauce
  • 2 T white wine vinegar
  • 2 T black vinegar
  • 1 T freshly ground white pepper
  • 1/2 t sambal oelek
  • 1 t coarse salt
  • 1/4 c cubed peeled taro or potato
  • 1/2 c bamboo shoots, julienned
  • 6 shiitake or wood ear mushrooms, cleaned,
  • trimmed, and cut into 1/4" dice
  • 12 oz. firm tofu, drained and diced
  • 1 egg, lightly beaten
  • 1 t Asian sesame oil
  • 2 T chopped fresh cilantro

Preparation

Step 1

For the pork: Combine soy sauce, Shao Xing,
and cornstarch in a small bowl, add pork, and
mix well. Let marinate at room temperature
for 15 minutes.

For the soup: Combine cornstarch and 1/4
cup water in a small bowl. Put stock, soy sauce,
vinegar, white pepper, sambal, and salt into
a large pot. Stir in cornstarch mixture. Bring
to a boil over medium-high heat. Add pork,
reduce heat to medium-low, and gently sim-
mer, stirring occasionally, until soup has thick-
ened, about 30 minutes. Add taro or potatoes,
mushrooms, bamboo shoots and tofu and gently simmer until taro or potatoes are tender, 15-20 minutes.

Slowly drizzle egg into simmering soup in a
thin, steady stream (don't stir as you pour, or
egg will form lumps). When egg strands float to
surface, stir in oil.

Correct seasoning--more vinegar may be needed after all ingredients have been added.

Garnish soup with cilantro.