Hot and sour soup

Hot and Sour soup
Prep: 5min     Cooking time: 30min     Serves: 8

Ingredients

• 1 cake tofu (fresh, if possible)
• 2 ounces pork tenderloin

Marinade

• 1 teaspoon soy sauce
• 1/2 teaspoon sesame oil
• 1 teaspoon tapioca starch (or cornstarch)

Soup

• 1/2 cup bamboo shoots, thinly sliced
• 2 tablespoons black fungus (Wood Ear) or Cloud Ear fungus
• 6 cups chicken broth
• 1 teaspoon salt, or to taste
• 1 teaspoon granulated sugar
• 2 tablespoons soy sauce
• 2-8 tablespoons white rice vinegar (to taste)
• 1 teaspoon sesame oil
• 1 Tbsp cornstarch dissolved in 1/4 cup water
• 1 egg, beaten
• 1 green onion, finely chopped
• White pepper to taste (no more than 1 tablespoon)
• Hot chili oil, to taste, optional

Preparation
Shred pork. Mix marinade ingredients and marinate pork for 20 minutes.

Cut tofu into small squares. To reconstitute the fungus, soak in warm water for 20 minutes. Rinse, and cut into thin pieces. (If substituting Chinese dried mushrooms, soak to soften, then cut off the stems and cut into thin strips. If using fresh mushrooms, wipe clean with a damp cloth and slice.

Bring the broth to a boil. When it is boiling, add the bamboo shoots, fungus or mushrooms. Stir. Add the tofu. Bring back to a boil and add the marinated pork.

Stir in the salt, sugar, soy sauce and vinegar and sesame oil.

Test the broth and adjust the taste if desired.

Mix the cornstarch and water. Slowly pour the cornstarch mixture into the soup, stirring while it is being added. Let the broth come back to a boil. As soon as it is boiling, remove the broth from the stove. 

Slowly drop in the beaten egg, stirring in one direction at the same time. Add the green onion and the white pepper to taste. Drizzle with chili oil if desired. Serve hot.

(Hot and Sour Soup can be prepared ahead of time and frozen. When making the soup, leave out the tofu. When ready to serve, thaw, add the tofu and bring to boiling. When the soup is boiling, add the egg.)

Reference: It has been more than 20 years that I make this soup ... I would say: My Cabeza.