Hot & Sour Soup
*Add garlic and red chili paste for more heat.

6 cups chicken stock (seasoned with some ginger)
2 TBS light soy sauce
1/4 lb lean pork, in 1/4 inch cubes
6 dried Chinese mushrooms(soaked 3 hours, drained, julienned)
3/4 tsp ground white pepper or more to taste
1/4 cup white vinegar, more or less to taste
5 TBS cornstarch mixed with 5 TBS water
salt if needed
1/2 cup bamboo shoots, julienned
1/4 dried cloud ears, soaked 1 hour, drained, and shredded
1 cake tofu, cut into 1/4" cubes
4 eggs, beaten

Garnish:
cooked ham, cut in slivers
green onion, chopped
sesame oil to taste
grated carrot
ground black pepper

Bring stock to simmer, add soy sauce, pork, and mushrooms. Simmer 10 minutes. Add pepper, vinegar, and thicken with cornstarch mixture. Adjust seasonings to taste. Add bamboo, cloud ears, and bean curd. Bring to simmer and pour in eggs in a very thin stream over the surface of the soup. Wait 10 seconds and stir gently. Add garnishes and serve.

Pam