Hot and Sour Soup

Hot and Sour Soup also makes a great meal in itself with the addition of peas, corn, carrots, cabbage and meaty shiitake mushrooms.

Yield: 4 servings
Ingredients

6 cups (1.4L) vegetable or chicken stock
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 tsp (2g) gingerroot, minced
1/2 tsp (2g) black pepper + pinch white pepper
2 Tbs (30mL) tamari
4 shiitake mushrooms, stems removed, thinly sliced
1/2 lb (230g) firm tofu, sliced into 1/4x1-inch (0.5x2.5cm) strips
1 cup (300g) Napa cabbage, shredded
1 carrot, thinly julienned
1/3 cup (70g) frozen peas
1/3 cup canned bamboo shoots, julienned
2 Tbs (30mL) rice vinegar
1 Tbs (15mL) mirin (Chinese cooking wine)
1 Tbs (8g) cornstarch dissolved in 3 Tbsp (45mL) cold water
1 egg, well-beaten
1/2 cup (90g) green onions, chopped
1/4 cup (9g) cilantro, chopped

Directions
Bring stock to a boil over medium-high heat in a 21/2- to 3-quart (1.9 to 2.9L) saucepan. Add garlic, ginger, black pepper, and tamari. Reduce heat and simmer 1 minute.

Add mushrooms, tofu, cabbage, carrots, peas and corn. Stir and let simmer 5 minutes or until vegetables are tender. Stir in vinegar, mirin and cornstarch mixture. Continue cooking until soup is thickened, about 1 minute.

Remove soup from heat. Slowly pour in beaten egg and stir. Garnish with green onions or cilantro and serve immediately