Hot and Sour Soup

"Hot and Sour Soup" is a perfect soup in the fall and winter. It's also a healthy and delicious soup which you can't miss. In Taiwan we love it all year long! Plus, we add dumplings in the soup! You can find the ingredients pretty easy in any Chinese markets.

• Ready In: 50 mins
• Serves: 6-8

Ingredients

• 1  lb  raw country-style boneless pork ribs, sliced
• 1  tablespoon  Chinese white rice vinegar
• 1  teaspoon white pepper powder
• 1  teaspoon cornstarch
• 2 (14 1/2ounce) cans chicken broth
• 6  cups water
• 2  cups  dried black fungus
• 1  cup bamboo shoot, sliced
• 1⁄3 cup  chinese  pickled mustard greens, sliced (optional)
• 1  cup carrot, shredded
• 1  cup firm tofu, cut into small cubes
• 5  tablespoons  Chinese white rice vinegar
• 3  tablespoons soy sauce
• 1 1⁄2 teaspoons salt (to taste)
• 1 -2  teaspoon white pepper powder
• 1  tablespoon cornstarch
• 1⁄3 cup water
• 1  egg, beaten
• 1  tablespoon  sesame oil
•  chopped green onion
•  fresh cilantro (optional)

Directions

1. Combine pork, rice vinegar, white pepper powder and corn starch. Refrigerate for at least 20 minutes.
2. Soak dried black fungus with warm water until soft. Wash and slice.
3. Cook black fungus, bamboo shoot, mustard greens in boiling water for about 1 minute. Drain and set aside.
4. Combine 1 tablespoon corn starch and 1/3 cup water.
5. Boil chicken broth and water together in a soup pot. Add black fungus, bamboo shoot, mustard greens and carrot. Add some warm water if necessary. Bring to boil again. Reduce heat to medium.
6. Stir in tofu, rice vinegar, soy sauce, salt and white pepper powder. Slowly stir in cornstarch mixture and then pork. Cook for about 2 minutes or until soup becomes thick. Reduce heat to low. Slowly stir in egg and then sesame oil.
7. Serve hot. Sprinkle chopped green onions and cilantro in soup bowl. Sprinkle some more white pepper powder in soup bowl if desire.