-1-

			       Hot and Sour Soup


	This  is  a  very complicated recipie.  You will need four bowls
	(small mixing bowls or even good-sized  soup  bowls  will  work;
	each  bowl  should be able to hold at least 3 cups of water) and
	both a small-to-medium-sized frying pan and a soup  pot  capable
	of  holding  about  four quarts.  You will also need some rather
	exotic ingredients; you will probably have to get  them  from  a
	Chineese  grocery  store  or a well-stocked gourmet foods store.
	The good news is that the ingredients are not expensive and will
	keep for months.
	
	I've  divided  the  recipie into several parts, so that you wind
	up making everything at the right time and in the  right  bowls.
	(You  will  have  to  rinse  out and dry one of the bowls as you
	go, but you will be instructed when to do so.)
	
	The  recipie and preparation for each bowl is detailed, then the
	preparation of the soup.  The whole process takes about an hour.
	You  should  get  all of the ingredients and containers together
	before you start.


	
	15 - 20		dried wood-ears (black fungus)
	2 cups		hot water

	Begin  by  soaking  the dried wood-ears in the hot water.  Leave
	this bowl (which we will call bowl #2) standing for at least  20
	minutes.
	
	Note:  you will be doing several other things while this bowl is
	standing!
	


	15 - 20		dried golden needles (lily buds)
	2 cups		hot water

	While  the  wood-ears  are  soaking in bowl #2, break or cut the
	golden needles into 3/4" pieces.  Place  them  in  bowl  #3  and
	cover with the hot water.  Let this bowl stand for 20 minutes or
	more as well.


	
	1 - 2		lean pork chops or equivalent stir-fry pork
	1 Tbs		peanut oil

	While  the  wood-ears  and  golden needles are standing, cut the
	pork into small lengths (about 1/4" X 1/4 " X 1" is good).  Heat
	the small- or medium-sized frying pan to cooking temperature and
	add the peanut oil.  Stir-fry the  pork  for  about  5  minutes.
	Remove  the pan from the heat and spread the pork out on a paper
	towl to absorb any oil or grease.


								-2-	

	
	8 oz		firm or extra-firm tofu (bean curd)
	1		scallion
	1 8-oz can	sliced bamboo shoots

	Cut  the  tofu (which usually comes in a 16-oz package packed in
	water)  into 1/2" X 1/2" X 1"  pieces.  Put  these  pieces  into
	another bowl (which will be bowl #1).
	
	Chop  the  scallion,  using  both the green and the white parts,
	into 1/8" pieces and add these to bowl #1.

	By now the pork should be drained, so add it to bowl #1, too.

	Drain the liquid from the canned bamboo shoots and cut them into
	1/8" wide strips.  Add this to bowl #1.
	
	By  this  time,  the  golden needles and the wood-ears should be
	properly softened.  Drain the golden  needles  and  discard  the
	liquid.  Add  the  golden needles to bowl #1.  Rinse and dry the
	bowl which held them.
	
	Remove  the  wood-ears  from  the liquid in bowl #2.  Be sure to
	save this liquid!  Add the wood-ears to bowl #1.
	
	A quick review:
	
	Bowl #1 now contains all of the solid ingredients, namely:
	
	    tofu		 scallion	    Fried pork
	    bamboo shoots  	 golden needles	    wood ear
	
	Bowl #2  contains the liquid from softening the wood-ear.  Bowls
	#3 and #4 are empty.


	
	1 1/2 tsp	white pepper
	3 Tbsp		cornstarch
	3 Tbsp		dark soy sauce
	2 tsp		sugar

	Add  all of the above ingredients to the liquid in bowl #2.  Mix
	them thoroughly.  Leave a teaspoon in this bowl so you can  give
	it one last stir before adding the contents to the soup later.


								-3-

	
	2 large		eggs
	
	Stir these eggs well with a fork in bowl #3.

	

	1/2 cup		white cider vinegar
	2 Tbs		sesame oil

	Add the vinegar to bowl #4 and float the sesame oil on top.


	
	4 12-oz cans	chicken broth

	Pour the four cans of chicken broth into the 4-quart pot.  Bring
	the broth to a boil.
	
	Add  the solid ingredients from bowl #1.  Let the soup come to a
	boil again.
	
	Add the hot sauce (bowl #2), making sure that the entire mixture
	winds up in the pot.  Let the soup come to a boil again.
	
	While  stirring  the  soup  gently in one direction, drizzle the
	eggs into the boiling broth in a thin (about  1/8")  stream.  If
	you  do this right, the egg will form very thin streamers in the
	soup.  (If you've ever had quality hot-and-sour soup,  you  know
	what to look for.)
	
	Finally,  add the sour sauce (bowl #4), stir once and serve.  Be
	careful not to let the soup boil after you have added  the  egg,
	as  this  will  spoil the texture of the soup.  This advice also
	should be heeded when re-heating any letfovers.
	
			Makes eight servings.