Hot & Sour Soup

Ingredients:

• 4 dried Chinese mushrooms
• 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
• 2 half-inch ginger root slices -- minced
• 1/2 cup bamboo shoots -- sliced
• 2 cups chicken stock
• 1 cup pork -- sliced thinly
• 2 tablespoons soy sauce
• 1 cake tofu -- cubed
• 1/2 teaspoon white pepper
• 2 tablespoons rice wine vinegar
• 2 tablespoons cornstarch
• 1 egg -- beaten
• 1 tablespoon fresh coriander leaf -- chopped
• 1 tablespoon scallions -- chopped
• 1 teaspoon sesame oil

Preparation:

• Soak mushrooms in hot water for 30 minutes.
• Drain, remove and discard stems, and shred caps.
• Heat oil in heavy duty saucepan, add shredded mushroom caps and ginger and stir over moderately high heat for one minute.
• Add bamboo shoots and stir for an additional minute.
• Add chicken stock, pork slices, and soy sauce.
• Bring to a boil and simmer ten minutes.
• Add tofu and cook three minutes more.
• Dissolve cornstarch in 1/4 cup cold water.
• Add, with pepper and vinegar, to soup.
• Cook until mixture thickens and clears.
• Turn off heat and drizzle beaten egg over top.
• Stir.
• When egg sets, serve, garnishing with chopped scallions, coriander leaves, and sesame oil to taste.