Hot and Sour Soup

1 pack of sliced shiitake mushrooms

veggie oil

1” piece fresh ginger, peeled and grated

1 tbsp garlic chili paste

½ can bamboo shoots sliced

½ can water chestnuts

6 green onion rough cut

¼ lb smoked pork shredded

¼ c soy sauce

¼ c rice vinegar

1 tsp salt

pepper (white but black will do)

large pinch of sugar

2 quarts chicken stoke

1 square of firm tofu cut into ¼ inch strips

3 tbsp of cornstarch (mix ¼ c of the stock with this)

Garnish: green onions and cilantro leaves (raw)

Cook your mushrooms in the wok with some oil as the start to soften/cook  then add in the ginger, chili paste bamboo shoots, water chestnuts and pork. Maybe a min or 2. 

Combine the soy sauce, vinegar, salt, pepper, and sugar and add into the wok. When aromatic add in the stock, bring to boil and then simmer for 10 mins.  Add the tofu in and cook for another 4 min. 

Add the cornstarch mixture into the soup and let simmer until it starts to thicken.  Remove from the heat and stir in one direction.  SLOW pour in 1 beaten egg, I usually add some and then stir again then add the rest.  The egg will start to feather and will cook right away.   Bowl it and add in the cilantro and green onions thinly sliced. 

Make some wontons!!!