Szechwan soup

6 servings

Ingredients

QuantityIngredient
1ounceDried mushrooms
Boiling water
6ouncesUncooked boneless lean pork
4ouncesCooked ham
1smallRed pepper
8Green onions
½cupWater chestnuts
8ouncesBean curd
2quartsChicken stock
½cupRice wine
4teaspoonsSoy sauce
½teaspoonChinese chili sauce
tablespoonCornstarch
5tablespoonsWater
2teaspoonsVinegar
2teaspoonsSesame oil
1Egg
8ouncesUncooked shrimp, shelled and
Deveined

Directions

1. Place mushrooms in bowl and cover with boiling water. Let stand 30 minutes. Drain. Remove and discard stems. Cut caps into thin slices.

2. Cut pork and ham into "match-stick" thin strips. Remove seeds from pepper and cut pepper into thin strips. Chop onions finely. Cut water chestnuts into slices. Cut bean curd into ½- cubes.

3. Combine chicken stock, wine, soy sauce and chili sauce in 5-quart pan. Cook over medium heat until soup boils. Reduce heat and simmer uncovered 5 minutes.

4. Blend cornstarch and 4 tablespoons of the water. Slowly stir mixture into soup. Cook and stir until soup boils. Add mushrooms, pork, ham, pepper and water chestnuts. Simmer uncovered 5 minutes.

5. Stir vinegar and oil into soup. Beat egg and remaining 1 tablespoon water together with for, Gradually drizzle egg into soup while stirring soup vigorously. Add onions, bean curd and shrimp.

Cook until shrimp is done, 1 to 2 minutes.

SOURCE: Chinese Cooking Class Cookbook