Hot & Sour Soup
1 oz. dried black Chinese (or shitake) mushrooms
1/2 oz. shredded black fungus
4 cups vegetable stock
1/4 cup bamboo shoots, julienned
2 large carrots, peeled, cut into 2" sections and julienned
1 block firm tofu, cut into 1/4" strips
1/4 cup frozen green peas, thawed
7 tbsp. rice vinegar
1/4 tsp. tabasco sauce
2 tsp. light soy sauce
1/4 tsp. each freshly ground black pepper and freshly ground white pepper
salt, to taste
3 tbsp. cornstarch
1 tbsp. sugar
1/4 cup water
1 egg white
1/2 oz. shredded black fungus
4 cups vegetable stock
1/4 cup bamboo shoots, julienned
2 large carrots, peeled, cut into 2" sections and julienned
1 block firm tofu, cut into 1/4" strips
1/4 cup frozen green peas, thawed
7 tbsp. rice vinegar
1/4 tsp. tabasco sauce
2 tsp. light soy sauce
1/4 tsp. each freshly ground black pepper and freshly ground white pepper
salt, to taste
3 tbsp. cornstarch
1 tbsp. sugar
1/4 cup water
1 egg white
Soak mushrooms and black fungus in very warm water for 1 hour. Drain; trim and discard mushroom stems; julienne mushrooms and set aside. Heat vegetable stock in medium saucepan over high heat and bring to a boil. Add bamboo shoots, carrots, mushrooms; return to boil and cook over medium-high, stirring occasionally, for 10 minutes. Add tofu, peas, vinegar, tabasco, peppers and salt to taste. In small bowl, dissolve cornstarch and sugar in water; add to soup then boil for 2-3 minutes. Adjust seasoning to taste. Remove pot from heat and add egg white in a slow, steady stream, stirring continually. Serve immediately.