Chicken Hot and Sour Soup
Ingredients
1 pound chicken thighs skinless thighs, cut into strips
2 tablespoons water
4 tablespoons cornstarch divided
1 ½ teaspoons salt divided
8 cups chicken broth
2 teaspoons minced ginger
2 small dried hot chiles sliced, plus additional for garnish
¾ teaspoon ground white pepper
6 to 8 fresh shiitake mushrooms or dried and soaked, sliced
6 to 8 fresh wood ear mushrooms or dried and soaked, sliced
1 package tofu cut into ¼-inch, 2-inch-long strips
½ cup sliced bamboo shoots cut into matchsticks
¼ cup soy sauce regular
½ teaspoon sugar
½ cup white vinegar
1 tablespoon sesame oil
3 large eggs beaten
4 green onions thinly sliced, for garnish (optional)
Directions
In a medium bowl, combine the chicken, 2 tablespoons water, 2 tablespoons of the cornstarch, and 1/2 teaspoon of the salt and stir to mix and coat the chicken well. Let stand for 10 to 15 minutes.
In a large pot, combine broth, ginger, chiles, and white pepper and bring to a simmer over medium-high heat.
Add the chicken along with any liquid or cornstarch in the bowl. Simmer for about 10 minutes.
Add the tofu, both types of mushrooms, bamboo shoots, soy sauce, the remaining teaspoon of salt, sugar, vinegar, and sesame oil and simmer another 10 minutes or so.
In a small bowl, stir together the remaining 2 tablespoons of cornstarch with 2 tablespoons of cold water.
With soup bubbling, stir in the cornstarch mixture and simmer for a couple more minutes, until the broth thickens a bit.
With the soup bubbling again, stir the soup gently in a circular motion while pouring the egg into the pot in a steady stream to create ribbons of cooked egg.
Serve hot, garnished with green onions and chiles if desired.
