Hot and Sour Soup

Hot and sour soup, is one of my all-time favorites! Whenever we went to the Woodbury Commons Outlet stores in NY, we end up getting lunch at my Uncles' restaurant and I would always ask for hot and sour soup. Even though I could not really eat, let alone drink, spicy foods, I just had to have it. I can't exactly explain why, I just really enjoyed it. When I got older and started my attempts at cooking, one of my mom's friends gave her a bunch of recipes, which she then handed over to me. I went through them and saw the recipe for hot and sour soup! I was so excited, I told her she must get me the ingredients so I could make the soup! Boy, was I demanding! If I remember correctly, the first time I followed the recipe and made it, I think it came out pretty good. The only issue was, some stomachs didn't quite agree with either the soup or the combination of soup and whatever we had for dinner that night! Since then, I've made some of my own adjustments to the original recipe and haven't had any disagreements :P. I didn't think of this soup until now, since I was searching for a recipe to add to a friend's bridal shower recipe book! So now that I've typed it all out for her, I can also share it on here! When I decide to make it again, I'll take a picture and post it ;).

Hot and Sour Soup:

3-4 dried Shiitake mushroom
3-4 dried wood ear mushrooms/black fungus 
3-4 dried lily buds
Sliced bamboo shoots (can buy the smallest can of sliced bamboo)
Thinly sliced tofu (half a box of firm or silken tofu works)
1-2 lightly beaten eggs (1 egg is enough for a 3 qt sized pot of soup)
1 stalk of green onion, chopped (mainly for garnish)
1-2 tbsp of corn starch (amount really depends on how thick you want the soup to be)
3-4 tbsp light soy sauce
2 tsp of dark soy sauce
1 tbsp Sesame oil
1-2 cans of chicken broth (or 5 c of chicken broth)
Dried whole chili peppers (how spicy do YOU want it to be?)
Water
Chinese vinegar (not red wine vinegar) The amount depends on personal taste - generally I just pour it in and guesstimate the amount. As a starting point, you could try 3 tablespoons, but beware, Chinese vinegar has a pretty strong taste, so 'a little goes a long way'! 
Optional:
Thin slivers of pork or chicken meat - I generally use one small pork chop or thin chicken breast

Directions:
For the mushroom, wood ear and lily bud ingredients, you'll need to rehydrate, rinse them thoroughly, and then soak again in water. I usually put them in water over-night to rehydrate, but you can just use warm water and leave them in there for about 20 mintes or until they're soft. Afterwards, I wash and clean them and then soak them for another 10 minutes. Save the soaking liquid and slice the mushrooms and wood ear for the soup.
If meat is being used, marinate with soy sauce, corn starch and  a bit of sugar (approximately 1 tablespoon) for 10-20 mins prior to making the soup.
Heat your soup pot and add sesame oil. Stir fry the Shiitake mushrooms, wood ear, bamboo shoots, chilies, meat (if using), and lily buds for 1-2 mins. Add a dash of soy sauce or salt and fry for another minute or so. Add the dark soy sauce, the reserved soaking liquid, chicken broth, and additional water to fill the pot to about 1-2 inches below the top of the pot. Add vinegar and light soy sauce - adjust to taste. Bring to a boil, add tofu and reduce to a simmer for about 30 mins or so. Combine cornstarch with a bit of water to make a roux (pasty mixture), add to the soup and stir. Add in the slightly beaten egg and let simmer for 1-2 mins. Serve while hot! Garnish with green onions.