Hot & Sour Soup
Hot and Sour Soup
3 dried wood ears or 4 dried mushrooms
20 dried lily buds, optional
1 boneless, skinless chicken breast half
1 Tablespoon dry cooking sherry
4 cups chicken broth
1/2 cup sliced bamboo shoots (1/2 of an 8-ounce can), drained and cut into matchstick pieces
4 ounces bean curd, drained and cut into 1/2-inch cubes
3 Tablespoons distilled white vinegar
1 Tablespoon soy sauce
1/2 teaspoon ground white pepper
2 Tablespoons cornstarch
3 Tablespoons water
1 egg, lightly beaten
1 teaspoon sesame oil
2 green onions, cut into 1 1/2-inch slivers
1. Place wood ears and lily buds in separate bowls; cover with hot water. Let stand 30 minutes. Drain and squeeze out excess water. Pinch out hard knobs from center of wood ears and discard. Cut wood ears into thin strips. (If using mushrooms, cut off and discard stems; cut caps into thin slices.) Cut off and discard hard tips from lily buds.
2. Cut chicken crosswise into thin slices; sprinkle with sherry. Let stand 15 minutes.
3. Bring chicken broth to a boil in 3-quart saucepan. Add wood ears, lily buds, chicken and bamboo shoots. Reduce heat and simmer, uncovered, 3 minutes. Add bean curd, vinegar, soy sauce and white pepper; cook 3 minutes more.
4. Blend cornstarch and water in a small cup; stir into soup. Cook, stirring, until slightly thickened. Turn off heat. Stirring constantly, slowly pour egg into soup. Stir in sesame oil and onions.
Makes 6 servings.
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