Chinese Hot and Sour Soup
(makes enough for 4 light meal sized servings)
Ingredients:
6 dried tree ear mushrooms (also known as wood ear mushrooms)
6 dried black mushrooms
8 dried lily buds (otherwise known as golden needles)
1/2 cup bamboo shoots
3 tablespoons rice vinegar
2 tablespoons Chinese black vinegar
4 tablespoons light soy sauce
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon sugar
2 tablespoons cornstarch
2 tablespoons water
1 tablespoon oil
4 ounces pork loin (optional, cooked and shredded)
4 cups Asian stock
1 package tofu (cut into small pieces)
2 eggs (lightly beaten)
1 teaspoon black pepper (ground)
1 teaspoon white pepper (ground)
1 teaspoon sesame oil
2 teaspoons chili oil (to taste)
1 tablespoon chili sauce (to taste)
4 green onions (sliced)
Directions:
1. Soak the tree ear and black mushrooms in boiling water until softened, about 20 minutes, and shred them.
2. Soak the lily buds in warm water until softened, about 20 minutes, and shred them.
3. Cover the bamboo shoots in water, bring to a boil, drain and shred.
4. Mix the vinegars, soy sauce, salt and sugar in a bowl.
5. Mix the cornstarch into the water in a bowl.
6. Heat the oil in a large pot.
7. Add , tree ear and black mushrooms, lily buds and bamboo shoots and saute for a minute.
8. Add the broth and tofu and bring to a boil.
9. Add the vinegar mixture and the cornstarch mixture and stir until it thickens.
10. Pour the eggs into the soup in a thin stream while stirring the soup.
11. Stir in the peppers, oils and chili sauce.
12. Serve garnished with green onions.
via closet cooking
Another hot and sour soup recipe!
2 teaspoons dark soy sauce*
4 small Chinese dried black mushrooms*
12 small dried tree 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 (not seasoned)
1 tablespoon light soy sauce*
1 1/2 teaspoons sugar
1 teaspoon kosher salt
2 tablespoons peanut oil
4 cups reduced-sodium broth
3 to 4 oz firm tofu (about a quarter of a block), rinsed and drained, then cut into 1/4-inch-thick strips
2 large eggs
2 teaspoons Asian sesame oil*
1 1/2 teaspoons freshly ground white pepper
2 tablespoons thinly sliced scallion greens
2 tablespoons fresh whole cilantro leaves
*Available at Asian foods markets, Uwajimaya (800-889-1928), and Kam Man Food Products Inc. (212-571-0330).
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preparation
Toss pork with dark soy sauce in a bowl until pork is well coated.
Soak black and tree ear mushrooms in 3 cups boiling-hot water in another bowl (water should cover mushrooms), turning over black mushrooms occasionally, until softened, about 30 minutes. (Tree ears will expand significantly.) Cut out and discard stems from black mushrooms, then squeeze excess liquid from caps into bowl and thinly slice caps. Remove tree ears from bowl, reserving liquid, and trim off any hard nubs. If large, cut tree ears into bite-size pieces. Stir together 1/4 cup mushroom-soaking liquid (discard remainder) with cornstarch 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 lengthwise into 2 or 3 shreds.
Cover bamboo shoots with cold water by 2 inches in a small saucepan, then bring just to a boil (to remove bitterness) and drain in a sieve.
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 mushrooms, tree ears, lily buds, and bamboo shoots and stir-fry 1 minute.
Add broth and bring to a boil, then add tofu. Return 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.
My plan: mix the 2 recipes. I will likely not be able to access certain ingredients at my latitude and will make do sans tree ears for example.
