Hot and Sour Soup (酸辣汤) — Northern Chinese Soup with Tofu and Black Vinegar

• 12 gdried wood-ear mushrooms
• 15 gdried lily buds
• 4dried shiitake mushrooms
• 500 mlboiling water
• 225 gpork loin (trimmed and cut into thin matchsticks)
• 1 tbsplight soy sauce
• 1 tbspShaoxing wine
• 1 tspcornstarch
• 1 tbspneutral oil
• 1 inchfresh ginger (peeled and finely minced)
• 1400 mlchicken stock
• 300 gfirm tofu (cut into 5 mm matchsticks)
• 150 gbamboo shoots (rinsed, drained, and cut into thin matchsticks)
• 4 tbspChinkiang black vinegar
• 1.25 tspground white pepper
• 0.5 tspfine sea salt
• 0.5 tspgranulated sugar
• 60 mlcold water
• 2large eggs (well beaten)
• 1 tsptoasted sesame oil
• 2scallions (thinly sliced)

Instructions

1. 1

   Put the dried wood-ear mushrooms, dried lily buds, and dried shiitake mushrooms in a heatproof bowl and cover them with 500 ml boiling water. Soak for 20 minutes, then drain, trim any tough stems, slice the mushrooms thinly, and tie each softened lily bud into a loose knot or cut it in half.

2. 2

   Combine the pork matchsticks with 1 tbsp light soy sauce, 1 tbsp Shaoxing wine, and 1 tsp cornstarch in a small bowl. Mix until the pork is lightly coated and let it stand for 10 minutes while you cut the tofu and bamboo shoots.

3. 3

   Heat 1 tbsp neutral oil in a 3 l saucepan over medium heat, then add the minced ginger and stir for 30 seconds until fragrant. Add the marinated pork and stir for 2 minutes, just until the strips separate and lose their raw color.

4. 4

   Pour in the chicken stock and bring it to a steady simmer over medium-high heat. Add the sliced shiitake mushrooms, wood-ear mushrooms, lily buds, bamboo shoots, and tofu, then simmer for 5 minutes so the flavors begin to meld without breaking the tofu.

5. 5

   Season the soup with 1 tbsp light soy sauce, 4 tbsp Chinkiang black vinegar, 1.25 tsp ground white pepper, 0.5 tsp fine sea salt, and 0.5 tsp sugar. Keep the soup at a gentle simmer, because a hard boil can make the tofu ragged and dull the vinegar aroma.

6. 6

   Stir 3 tbsp cornstarch with 60 ml cold water until completely smooth, then slowly stream the slurry into the simmering soup while stirring in one direction. Continue simmering for 1 to 2 minutes, until the soup turns glossy and lightly coats the back of a spoon.

7. 7

   Reduce the heat to low and drizzle the beaten eggs into the soup in a thin stream while stirring slowly to form fine ribbons. Turn off the heat, stir in 1 tsp toasted sesame oil, garnish with sliced scallions, and serve immediately while the pepper and vinegar are vivid.