Hot and Sour Soup

Ingredients:

• handful of dried black mushrooms
• 6-8 oz. tofu, cut into strips
• 1/4 cup seasoned bamboo shoots
• 2 cups chicken stock (or 1 10-oz. can chicken stock + 3/4 c. water)
• 1/2 tsp. salt (probably not necessary if you don't like salt)
• 1/2 tbsp soy sauce
• 2-4 oz. ground pork
• 1/8 tsp pepper
• 1 tbsp rice vinegar (probably actually more than this, to taste)
• 1 tbsp cornstarch dissolved in 3 tbsp water
• 1/2 a beaten egg
• 1 tsp sesame oil
• 1/2 a sliced green onion

Hot and sour soup should be both hot and sour. I have been to many Chinese restaurants in my life, and in my experience, it is rare that both constraints are adequately met. Play with the proportions of pepper and vinegar to achieve a balance you are happy with.

This page contains half a sliced green...