HOT AND SOUR SOUP

By Tom Ciufo

INGREDIENTS

1 tablespoon sesame oil

3 tablespoons of soy sauce

3 tablespoons of cornstarch

½ pound pork tenderloin

6 cups of chicken stock

1 tablespoon minced garlic

1 tablespoon grated or minced ginger

½ pound of shitake mushroom, stems removed and caps sliced

½ pound of extra firm tofu, cut into ½ inch cubes

2 celery stalks, roughly cut

¼ cup of rice vinegar

Freshly ground black pepper

Salt

¼ cup chopped cilantro for garnish

½ cup chopped scallions for garnish

DIRECTIONS

1. Whisk together 1 teaspoon sesame oil with 1 tablespoon soy sauce and 1 tablespoon cornstarch in a medium bowl. Cut the pork crosswise into thin pieces, then cut each slice into sticks no more than ½ inch wide.  Add meat to the bowl; toss to coat in the soy mixture and let it sit.
2. Meanwhile, put the stock, garlic and ginger in a large pot over medium-high heat and bring to a boil. Add the mushrooms, reduce the heat to low so that the liquid bubbles steadily and then cook the mushrooms until they are softened and the broth has darkened a bit, 3 to 5 minutes.
3. Bring the soup back to a boil over medium heat and add the meat. Stir to make sure the pieces don’t stick together and cook the meat is no longer pink, 1 to 3 minutes. Then add the tofu, celery, vinegar, a generous sprinkle of black pepper, and the remaining 2 tablespoons of soy sauce.  Lower the heat so the soup bubbles gently and cook until the flavors meld a bit, just a minute or two.
4. Whisk the remaining 2 tablespoons of cornstarch with ¼ cup water in a small bowl to make a slurry. Stir the cornstarch mixture into the soup and cook, stirring, until it just begins to thicken, about 1 minute.  Turn off the heat and stir in the remaining two teaspoons of sesame oil; taste and adjust the seasoning with salt, pepper, soy sauce, or vinegar.  Garnish with cilantro and scallion and serve.

Additions: 2 eggs, waterchesnuts, shredded carots

After you add the cornstarch in step 4, beat 2 eggs and pour them into the soup slowly, whisking all the while until they form nearly translucent ribbons.