Hot-And-Sour Soup

You should be able to find the dried ingredients at an Asian market.

• Ready In: 40 mins
• Serves: 4

Ingredients

• 1  whole chicken breast, bone-in skin and excess fat removed
• 6  cups  chicken stock or 6  cups water
• 5  dried lily buds
• 3 -4  dried black fungus (cloud ear or tree ear)
• 3 -4  shiitake mushrooms
• 1⁄2 lb soft tofu or 1⁄2 lb firm tofu
• 1  tablespoon soy sauce
• 2  tablespoons rice or 2  tablespoons white vinegar
• 1⁄2 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper
•  salt
• 2  eggs, lightly beaten
• 1  tablespoon  cornstarch mixed with 2 tbsp water (optional)
• 1  tablespoon  dark sesame oil
•  minced scallion (to garnish)
•  Tabasco sauce or   hot  sesame oil

Directions

1. Place the chicken and stock in a large, deep saucepan and turn the heat to high. Reduce heat to medium-low and partially cover.
2. Cook for 20 minutes or until the chicken is just cooked through.
3. While the chicken is cooking, soak the lily buds, fungus, and shiitake mushrooms in hot water and cover until soft (about 10-15 minutes). If the water cools before the mushrooms soften, drain and add more hot water.
4. Remove the chicken and as soon as it's cool enough to handle, strip the meat from the bones and chop it.
5. Trim and shed the lily buds, trim and mince the fungus and mushrooms. Add to the simmering broth.
6. Return the chicken meat to the broth, along with the tofu, soy sauce, vinegar, and pepper.
7. Add more soy sauce, salt, pepper, and vinegar to taste.
8. Raise the heat a little bit and stir the eggs into the soup.
9. Add the cornstarch to thicken.
10. Float the sesame oil on top of the soup, then add the scallions to garnish.
11. Serve and add hot sauce to taste.