Hunan Hot And Sour Soup

• 6 cups vegetable stock or 6 cups chicken stock
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 teaspoon gingerroot, minced
• 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
• 2 tablespoons tamari
• 4 shiitake mushrooms or 8 button mushrooms, stems removed, thinly sliced
• 1/2 lb firm tofu, sliced into 1/4 x 1 inch strips (0.5x2.5cm)
• 1 cup napa cabbage, shredded (300g)
• 1 carrot, thinly sliced
• 1/3 cup frozen peas (70g)
• 2 tablespoons rice vinegar
• 1 tablespoon mirin (Chinese cooking wine)
• 1 tablespoon cornstarch, dissolved in
• 3 tablespoons cold water
• 1 -2 egg, well-beaten (optional)
• 1/2 cup green onion, chopped (90g)
• 1/4 cup cilantro, chopped (9g)
• 1/2 lb cooked chicken or 1/2 lb pork, cubed
• 1 teaspoon hot chili paste (optional) or 1 teaspoon chili sauce (optional)

1. Bring stock to a boil over medium-high heat in a 2 1/2- to 3-quart saucepan.
2. Add garlic, ginger, black pepper, and tamari.
3. Reduce heat and simmer 1 minute.
4. Add mushrooms, tofu, cabbage, carrots, peas and meat.
5. Stir and let simmer 5 minutes or until vegetables are tender.
6. Stir in vinegar, mirin and cornstarch mixture.
7. Continue cooking until soup is thickened, about 1 minute.
8. Add chile paste/sauce to taste.
9. Remove soup from heat.
10. Slowly pour in beaten egg and stir.
11. Garnish with green onions or cilantro and serve immediately.

vegetable stock, garlic, gingerroot, black pepper, tamari, shiitake mushrooms, firm tofu, cabbage, carrot, frozen peas, rice vinegar, cornstarch, cold water, egg, green onion, cilantro, chicken, hot chili paste

Taken from www.food.com/recipe/hunan-hot-and-sour-soup-79497 (may not work)