Hot and Sour Soup (Suan La Tang)

Ingredients

• Chicken broth 1.5 liters
• Lean pork (loin or tenderloin), cut into thin strips 120 g
• Firm tofu 200 g
• Dried shiitake mushrooms 6 (18 g)
• Dried wood ear mushrooms 5 g
• Bamboo shoots, canned, drained 100 g
• Soy sauce 3 tbsp
• Chinese black vinegar or rice vinegar 4 tbsp
• Ground white pepper 1.5 tsp (3.5 g)
• Cornstarch, mixed with 60 ml water 3 tbsp (24 g)
• Eggs, large, beaten 2 (100 g)
• Toasted sesame oil 1 tsp
• Green onions 2 (30 g)

Instructions

1. 1

   Soak the shiitake and wood ear mushrooms in hot water for 20 minutes, then squeeze them dry, remove the shiitake stems and slice both thinly.

2. 2

   Cut the tofu and bamboo shoots into thin strips and slice the green onions.

3. 3

   Bring the broth to a boil in a large pot, add the pork and stir to separate the strips.

4. 4

   Add the mushrooms, bamboo shoots and soy sauce and simmer for 5 minutes, then add the tofu and simmer for 2 minutes more.

5. 5

   Stir the cornstarch mixture, pour it in while stirring and simmer for 1 minute until the soup thickens slightly.

6. 6

   Turn off the heat, pour in the beaten eggs in a thin stream while stirring slowly so they form ribbons, then stir in the vinegar and white pepper.

7. 7

   Ladle into bowls and finish with the sesame oil and green onions.