Ingredients:

  Amount  Measure       Ingredient -- Preparation Method
--------  ------------  --------------------------------
  15      milliliters   peanut or vegetable oil
   1      clove         garlic
   5      milliliters   ginger root -- (about 2 slices)
 125      grams         boneless pork loin -- shredded
  25      milliliters   soy sauce or tamari
 140      grams         bamboo shoots -- shredded
   6                    dried shiitake mushrooms
  10                    dried lily buds -- (also called golden
                        -- needle)
  12                    dried tree ear fungus -- (also called cloud e
   1      liter         chicken broth
  15      milliliters   dry sherry
  50      milliliters   red wine vinegar
  15      milliliters   cornstarch
  60      milliliters   water
   1                    tofu pad
  50      grams         green onions
   2                    eggs
  15      milliliters   toasted sesame oil
   3      milliliters   chili oil
   1      milliliter    white pepper
                        salt and more pepper

Preparation:

1. Rehydrate the dried ingredients (15 minutes: in lukewarm water for the shiitakes, and in boiling water for the lily buds and tree ears). Heat the chicken broth (if it's canned, prepare it). 2. Mince the garlic and ginger root and combine them. Shred the pork loin. Shred the bamboo shoots. Combine the cornstarch and the water. Chop the green onions. Lightly beat the eggs. 3. Heat oil in wok (medium), add the garlic and ginger, stirring 30 seconds. 4. Add the pork, cooking until it loses its pink color. 5. Add the soy sauce, cook for 1 minute more. 6. Add bamboo shoots, shiitakes, lily buds, tree ear fungi, stir quickly for 1 minute. 7. Stir in chicken broth, sherry, and vinegar. 8. Stir cornstarch/water mix one last time and add it to the soup. 9. Add the tofu and bring the soup to a boil. 10. Turn the heat to low, add the green onions. 11. Add the beaten eggs in a slow stream, stirring several times. 12. Turn off the heat and add the sesame oil, chili oil, white pepper. Season to taste and serve immediately. Author's Notes: I have seldom been to a Chinese restaurant without having hot and sour soup, and it was pleasant to discover how easy it is to make it at home. We have fixed this by itself as a dinner for two with enough left over for lunch. Particularly when we add extra meat and vegetables, we find it a very hearty soup which is surprisingly easy to make. Like many Chinese recipes, it takes longer to prepare the ingredients than it does to cook the soup. As I understand it, hot and sour soup, traditionally, is a Northern Chinese way of using leftovers. Therefore, there are many, many variations possible, particularly in the dried ingredients. We never make it exactly the same way twice. I recommend using the shiitakes at least; most any grocery store has them. You may find tree ears and lily buds in an oriental food store. Difficulty : easy to moderate Precision : no need to measur