Hot And Sour Soup - Szechuan
Grrrrrgh!
Course : Chinese
From: HungryMonster.com
Serves: 8
 

Ingredients:

  Amount  Measure       Ingredient -- Preparation Method
--------  ------------  --------------------------------
   3                    dried wood ears
  20                    dried tiger lily buds
   3      cups          - hot water
     1/4  pound         pork butt
                        -----marinade-----
     1/2  teaspoon      dry sherry
     1/2  teaspoon      cornstarch
   1      teaspoon      sesame oil
                        -----soup-----
   1 1/2  cups          chicken stock
   5      cups          - water
   1      teaspoon      salt
   2      ounces        fresh mushrooms -- - sliced or
   1      1/2 ounce ca  sliced mushrooms -- drained, up to , up
                        -- to
     1/4  cup           sliced water chestnuts
     1/4  cup           shredded bamboo shoots
   2      tablespoons   fresh carrot -- shredded
   1      square        bean curd -- thinly sliced (3
                        -- inch)
   2      tablespoons   Worcestershire sauce
   1      teaspoon      vinegar
   5      tablespoons   cornstarch
   5      tablespoons   water
   1                    egg -- - beaten
     1/2  teaspoon      black pepper
     1/2  teaspoon      white pepper
   1      tablespoon    sesame oil
 

Preparation:

Soak wood ears and lily buds in 3 cups hot water for 15 minutes; remove woody stems from both; shred wood ears with a cleaver. Slice pork into thin strips; chop strips into shreds; Combine marinade in a small bowl; add pork, mix well; let stand 15 minutes. Combine chicken stock, 5 cups water and salt in a medium saucepan; bring to a boil over high heat; reduce heat to medium; add mushrooms, water chestnuts, bamboo shoots, carrot, wood ears and lily buds; simmer 3 to 4 minutes; add pork with marinade and bean curd; bring to a boil; add Worcestershire sauce and vinegar. Dissolve cornstarch in 5 tbsp water to make a paste; slowly stir into soup. Cook over medium heat until soup thickens slightly; stir egg into soup; add black pepper, white pepper and sesame oil. Serve hot.