Mandarin Hot and Sour Pork Soup

• Ready In: 25 mins
• Serves: 4

Ingredients

• 8  cups  soup stock, 6-8 cups
• 1⁄2  square bean curd (optional)
• 3  dried black mushrooms, Soaked and shredded
• 4  wood ear mushrooms, Soaked and shredded. (optional)
• 1  slice ham, cooked, shredded (optional)
• 1  teaspoon  chili oil (optional)
• 3⁄4 teaspoon salt
• 1⁄2 teaspoon sugar
• 2  eggs, lightly beaten
• 1⁄4 lb pork, lean
• 1⁄4 cup bamboo shoot, Shredded
• 2  tablespoons button mushrooms, sliced (canned)
• 2  stalks green onions, chopped
• 4  tablespoons vinegar
• 1⁄4 white pepper
• 1⁄2 teaspoon  sesame oil
• 1  tablespoon soy sauce
• 3  tablespoons cornstarch, disolved in 3 teaspoons of water

Directions

1. Bring soup stock to a boil, add.
2. shredded pork, black mushrooms and wood ears.
3. Cook 2-3 minutes.
4. Add remainder of ingredients and seasonings (except cornstarch, eggs, and green onion) reduce heat and simmer for 2 minutes.
5. Thicken with cornstarch and turn off heat.
6. Slowly pour in beaten eggs in a thin stream while stirring.
7. Serve immediately.
8. Garnish with green onion.
9. If soup is to be prepared ahead of time, do not add cornstarch and eggs until serving time.
10. Otherwise the egg will be overcooked and spoil the appearance.
11. Soup should be quite hot and sour.
12. Adjust the hotness with varying amount of white pepper and the sourness with different amounts of vinegar.