Ingredients:

  Amount  Measure       Ingredient -- Preparation Method
--------  ------------  --------------------------------
   6      cups          chicken stock
   2                    chicken breast halves
   1      1" slice      fresh ginger root
   1                    onion -- sliced
   6                    shiitake mushrooms -- soaked 20 mins in
                        hot water for 20 minutes
   2      teaspoons     low-sodium soy sauce
   2      tablespoons   rice wine -- (or dry vermouth)
   3      tablespoons   rice vinegar
   1      tablespoon    sichuan hot bean paste
     1/2  teaspoon      ground white pepper
     1/2  cup           canned bamboo shoots -- cut into julienne
                        strips
   1      cup           tofu -- 1/2-in dice
   3      large         eggs -- beaten
     1/2  cup           spring onions -- thinly sliced

Preparation:

1.Heat the chicken stock to a boil. Add the chicken breasts, ginger root and onion and simmer for 35 minutes, covered. 2.Remove the chicken, reserving the stock, and let cool, remove skin and bones and shred meat. Set aside. 3.Strain the chicken stock into a 4-quart pan and bring again to a boil. 4.Drain the soaking mushrooms, discard the stems, and thinly slice the caps. Add them to the stock with the soy sauce, rice wine, rice vinegar, hot bean paste and white pepper, reduce the heat and simmer for 10 minutes. 5.Add the shredded chicken, bamboo shoots and bean curd and simmer for another 2 minutes, then bring to a full boil. 6.Beat the eggs well and, as you gently stir the soup, slowly add the eggs in a thin stream. Adjust the seasoning for salt, hot bean paste and tartness. 7.At serving time, add the green onion slices.