Recipe: Szechwan Soup

SZECHWAN SOUP
Source: Chinese Cooking Class Cookbook
Servings: 6

1 oz dried mushrooms
boiling water
2 quarts chicken stock
1/2 cup rice wine
4 tsp soy sauce
1/2 tsp Chinese chili sauce
2 1/2 tbsp cornstarch
5 tbsp water, divided use
6 oz uncooked boneless lean pork, cut in matchstick thin strips
4 oz cooked ham, cut in matchstick thin strips
1 small red bell pepper, seeded, cut in thin strips
1/2 cup water chestnuts, sliced
2 tsp vinegar
2 tsp sesame oil
1 egg
8 oz bean curd, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
8 oz uncooked shrimp, shelled and deveined
8 green onions, finely chopped

Place mushrooms in bowl and cover with boiling water. Let stand 30 minutes. Drain. Remove and discard stems. Cut caps into thin slices.

Combine chicken stock, rice wine, soy sauce, and chili sauce in 5-quart pan. Cook over medium heat until soup boils. Reduce heat and simmer uncovered 5 minutes.

Blend cornstarch and 4 tablespoons of the water. Slowly stir mixture into soup. Cook and stir until soup boils. Add mushrooms, pork, ham, bell pepper, and water chestnuts. Simmer uncovered 5 minutes.

Stir vinegar and sesame oil into soup. Beat egg and remaining 1 tablespoon water together with fork. Gradually drizzle egg into soup while stirring soup vigorously. Add bean curd, shrimp, and green onions. Cook until shrimp is done, 1 to 2 minutes.