Hot And Sour Soup

• 2 13-3/4 oz. cans chicken broth
• 4 cloud ears (tree fungus) soaked in hot water 15-30 minutes or until soft, drained, rinsed, shredded
• 12 golden needles (tiger lily flowers/buds), soaked in cool water for 15 to 20 minutes until soft; discard the hard tips and cut each into 2 or 3 segments
• 2 dried shitake mushrooms, soaked in warm water 15 minutes or until soft; shred. Save soaking water and add it to pan with chicken broth.
• 1/4 cup shredded, preserved chili radish or turnip, Szechuan style (available at Oriental grocery stores)
• 1/2 cup shredded pork
• 1 package firm tofu, cut into 3/4 inch cubes
• 2 Tbs. rice vinegar
• 1 Tbs. soy sauce
• 1 tsp. sugar
• 1 tsp. freshly ground black pepper
• 2 Tbs. cornstarch mixed with 1/4 cup water
• 1 egg, beaten
• 2 scallions, chopped
• sesame oil to taste

1. Combine vinegar, soy sauce, black pepper and sugar in small bowl.
2. In 3-qt. saucepan, dilute chicken broth with 1 can water plus shitake mushroom water. Bring to boil.
3. Add cloud ears, golden needles, shitake, chili radish and cook 8 minutes.
4. Add pork, cook 1 minute.
5. Add tofu and sauce in bowl, cook 1/2 minute.
6. Add cornstarch mixture and stir until soup thickens as it comes to a boil.
7. Remove from heat; slowly stir in beaten egg.
8. Add chopped scallions and sesame oil. Serve hot.
9. 4 servings as a first course, 2 servings as a main course

chicken broth, cloud, golden needles, shitake mushrooms, szechuan style, pork, firm tofu, rice vinegar, soy sauce, sugar, freshly ground black pepper, cornstarch, egg, scallions, sesame oil

Taken from www.epicurious.com/recipes/member/views/hot-and-sour-soup-50050516 (may not work)