Hot and Sour Terrine, Oriental Style

• 8 dried Chinese tree ears (a type of dried black fungus)
• 1/2 cup hot water
• 2 envelopes plain gelatin
• 1/4 cup cold water
• 3 1/2 cups greaseless chicken stock
• 4 tablespoons rice vinegar
• 1 1/2 tablespoons light soy sauce
• 1/2 cup sweet red pepper, finely diced
• 1 cup finely slivered cooked chicken, duck or pork
• 1/2 teaspoon hot chili oil (or to taste)
• 2 scallions, finely chopped

1. Soak the tree ears in the hot water for about 20 minutes until soft.
2. Drain, reserving the liquid, then coarsely chop them.
3. Soften the gelatin in the cold water.
4. Warm one cup of the chicken stock and stir in the softened gelatin.
5. Cook gently until the gelatin has completely dissolved.
6. Stir the gelatin mixture into the remaining stock and season with the vinegar and soy sauce.
7. Stir in the tree ears and their liquid, the red pepper and the poultry or meat.
8. Season to taste with the chili oil and stir in the scallions.
9. If the mixture is tepid or cooler, pour into a five-cup mold or loaf pan and chill until set.
10. If it is warm, cool it by placing it in a bowl in a larger bowl filled with ice before transferring it to a mold and chilling it.

black fungus, water, gelatin, cold water, greaseless chicken, rice vinegar, soy sauce, sweet red pepper, chicken, hot chili oil, scallions

Taken from cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/4417 (may not work)