Hot-and-Sour Soup
Ancient Doctor's Curative
Ingredients:
5 oz boneless pork lion, cut into 1/4-inch-tick strip (2/3 cup)
2 teaspoons dark soy sauce
4 small Chinese dried black mushrooms
12 small dried wood ear mushrooms
1 1/2 tablespoons cornstarch
12 dried lily buds (sometimes called golden needles)
1/2 cup canned sliced bamboo shoots, cut lengthwise into 1/8-inch-wide strips (from an 8-oz can)
2 tablespoons red-wine vinegar
2 tablespoons rice vinegar
1 tablespoon light soy sauce
1 1/2 teaspoons sugar
1 teaspoons sea salt
1 teaspoons peanut oil
4 cups chicken broth
4 oz medium tofu, rinsed and drained , then cut into 1/4-inch-thick strips
2 large eggs
2 teaspoon sesame oil
1 1/2 teaspoons freshly ground white pepper
2 tablespoons thinly sliced scallion greens
2 tablespoons fresh whole cilantro leaves
Preparation:
Season pork with dark soy sauce in a bowl.
Soak black wood ear and black mushrooms in 3 cups boiling-hot water in another bowl (water should cover mushroom), turning over black mushrooms occasionally, until soften, about 30 minutes.Cut out and discard stems from black mushroom, then squeeze excess liuid from caps into bowl and thinly slice caps. Remove wood ears from bowl, reaerving liquid. Cut wood ears into thin strips. Strip together 1/2 cup mushroom-soaking liquid with cornstatch in a small bowl and set aside.
Meanwhile, soak lily buds in about 1 cup warm water until softened, about 20 minutes, then drain. Trim off tough tips of lily buds. Cut lily buds in half crosswise, then tear each half lenghtwise into 2 or 3 shreds.
Cut bamboo shoot into thin slices.
Stir together vinegars, light soy sauce, sugar, and salt in another small bowl.
Heat a wok over high heat until a bead of water vaporizes within 1 to 2 seconds of contact. Pour peanut oil down side of wok, then swirl oil, tilting wok to coat sides. Add pork and stir-fry until meat just changes color, about 1 minute, then add black mushroomsm wood ears, lily buds, and bamboo shoots and stir-fry 1 minute.
Add borth and bring to a boil and add vinegar mixture. Stir cornstarch mixture, then add to broth and return to a boil, stirring, (Liquid will thicken.) Reduce heat to moderate and simmer 1 minute.
Beat eggs with a fork and add a few drops of sesame oil. Add eggs to soup in a thin stream, stirring slowly in one direction with a spoon. Stir in white pepper, then drizzle in remaining sesame oil and divide among 6 to 8 bowls. Sprinkle with scallions and cilantro before serving.
Serve 6 to 8
Courtesy of Chengdu Culinary School, Chendu, China
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