Soup on Sunday: Hot and Sour Soup

I love hot and sour soup! And yet, until just this weekend, I have never even considered making it at home. It's actually fairly simple and quite delicious. The 'carryout' Odd Balls invitation, hinged high gloss silver fortune cookies from Sea and Jae and a few good friends are all that you need for a perfect little party. Well...maybe a few glasses of wine too.

4 oz dried shitake mushrooms
12 small dried tree ear mushrooms
1/2 cup canned bamboo shoots, sliced
1 1/2 tablespoons cornstarch
3 tablespoons red-wine vinegar
3 tablespoons rice vinegar
2 tablespoon soy sauce
2 teaspoons dark soy sauce
1 1/2 teaspoons sugar
1 teaspoon sea salt
2 tablespoons sesame oil
4 cups vegetable stock
4 oz firm tofu, drained, cut into 1/4-inch-thick strips
2 eggs
1 teaspoons sesame oil
2 teaspoons freshly ground white pepper
4 tablespoons scallions, thinly sliced

In a large bowl soak shitake and tree ear mushrooms in enough boiling water to cover mushrooms, turning occasionally, until softened, about 30 minutes (tree ears will expand). Remove from bowl, squeeze excess liquid (reserving the liquid), cut into bite-size pieces. Stir 1/4 cup mushroom liquid with cornstarch in a small bowl and set aside.

Stir together vinegars, soy sauces, sugar, and salt in small bowl.

Heat a wok over high heat, add sesame oil coating the sides of the wok. Stir-fry mushrooms and bamboo shoots for 1-2 minutes. Add broth, bring to a boil, add tofu. Keeping a gentle boil add vinegar mixture. Slowly stir in cornstarch mixture (broth will thicken) and reduce heat and simmer 1 minute.

Beat eggs in a separate bowl and add 1 teaspoon of sesame oil. In a slow, thin stream, add eggs stirring in one direction. Add in white pepper and scallions. Serve right away.

Serves 4 as a meal or 6 as a starter.