Main Ingredients:

See below ingredients and instructions of the recipe

Cooking Preparation of the Recipe:

Stephen Ceideburg
6 Dried Chinese black
-mushrooms
36 Dried lily buds
3 lg Dried wood ears
1 Boneless chicken breast
- half *
1 tb Peanut oil
1 ts Salt
1 Quarter-sized slice of fresh
-peeled ginger, bruised
1 tb Soy sauce
2 tb Shao Hsing wine **
4 c Chicken stock
2 tb Water chestnut flour mixed
-with 4 tb water ***
1 Egg, lightly beaten with 1
-ts oil
1/4 lb Firm tofu (optional) ****
1 Green onion, trimmed and
-shredded
Chicken Strip Marinade:
1 ts Light soy sauce
1 ts Dry vermouth
1/4 ts Sugar
1 ts Cornstarch
1 ts Sesame oil
Hot and Sour Seasoning:
2 tb Red wine vinegar
1 tb Light soy sauce
1 ts White pepper
2 ts Hot chili oil, or to taste
1 tb Sesame oil

* Skinned and, cut into matchstick strips ** or dry sherry. S.C. ***
Use cornstarch if unavailable. S.C. **** Cut into strips 1/4 inch
thick and 1 1/2 inches long

There are distinct steps to take in a certain order instead of just
tossing everything into the stock. Like other Hot and Sour soups, it
can be made with whatever you have on hand. Ms. Jue does suggest,
however that the black mushrooms and wood ears are pretty important
to the taste and should be used if at all possible. If necessary, she
says, substitute julienned carrot for the lily buds for color and
texture. Shredded bamboo shoots, green beans and bean sprouts are
suggested as additions or sub- stitutions. Pork or shrimp can be used
instead of chicken with out guilt. Toss in a handful of noodles if
you like too...

In 3 separate bowls, cover black mushrooms, lily buds and wood ears
with water until soft and pliable, about 30 minutes. Squeeze dry.
Remove and discard stems from black mushrooms; julienne. Remove and
discard hard ends of lily buds. Remove and discard any hard clusters
in centers of wood ears. Roll each wood er into a tight curl, cut
cross-wise into thin strips. Set aside.

Mix marinade ingredients. Toss with the chicken strips and set aside.

Heat wok over medium-high heat. When hot, add oil and tilt wok to coat
sides. Add salt, ginger and chicken. Stir-fry for 1 minute or until
chicken turns white. Remove chicken and set aside.

Increase to high heat. Add black mushrooms, lily buds and wood ears
to hot oil. Stir-fry until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add soy sauce
and Shao Hsing wine; stir-fry 5 seconds. Add stock and bring to a
boil. Reduce heat to low and simmer 10 minutes. Then bring back to a
boil. Add water chestnut flour mixture. Stir continuously until
thickened (about 30 seconds). Remove from heat.

Slowly pour egg into soup in a circular motion while stir- rings
slowly with chopsticks to from silk like ribbons. Add tofu and
chicken.

Put ingredients for Hot and Sour Seasoning in a small bowl. Stir once
or twice; do not over mix. Pour half into a shallow soup tureen.
Ladle soup over sauce. Scatter green onions on top. Float remaining
Hot and Sour Seasoning on top of soup. Stir gently.

Serves 4 as a meal in itself.

Joyce Jue, San Francisco Chronicle, 1/2/91.

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