Hot and Sour Soup (酸辣汤)

Ingredients:

• 3 **fresh Shiitake mushrooms (About 1-inch diameter or larger)
• 8 **fresh wood ears
• 50g of Enoki mushrooms (About 1/4 packet)
• 5oz of Firm tofu (1/3 of 14oz of tofu cube). Can be replaced with soft tofu if you prefer
• 3 can of chicken broth (or) 45oz of chicken broth cooked from the chicken bones
• 2 eggs
• 3 stalks of cilantro

** Fresh Shiitake mushrooms and wood ears could be replaced with dry version.  If you're using the dry ones, soak them in the water for at least 2 hours in advance to get them soften.

Seasonings:

• 2 tsp of light soy sauce
• 1/2 tsp of white pepper powder
• 1/2 tsp of black pepper powder
• 1/4 cup black vinegar
• salt to taste
• 1/4 cup of Tapioca Starch
• 1/2 cup of water

Sprinkles:

• 3 stalks of cilantro

Preparation:
1. Slice Shiitak mushrooms and wood ears into small pieces.
2. Trim out the root section (about 1 inch from the bottom) of Enoki mushrooms.  Slice them into small pieces.
3. Cut the tofu into thin slices.  Then cut them into small vertical strips
4. Beat the eggs well in a bowl
5. Mix the black vinegar with the pepper powder in a bowl
6. Mix the tapioca starch with water.
7. Boil the water and pour the sliced Shiitake mushrooms, Enoki mushrooms, wood ears, and tofu strips for about 1 minutes.  This is to remove the raw aroma from mushrooms and wood ears.  Drain them and set aside
8. Chop cilantro

Putting Everything Together:
1. Boil the chicken broth on high heat.
2. Add in the veggies that were boiled and drained to the broth
3. Pour Tapioca starch with water into the pot.  Stir them well.  This will make the soup thick consistency.
4. Pour in the beaten egg.  After pouring them in, wait for 2-3 seconds and stir them to make the egg drops in the soup
5. Finally add the vinegar and pepper powder mix.  Add salt to taste
6.  Sprinkle with chopped cilantro and serve hot.