Hot and sour soup
For the hot and sour soup, first soak the dried shiitake and wood ear mushrooms in lukewarm water. If you bought fresh mushrooms, you can skip this step. Cut the chicken breast into thin strips, finely chop the ginger and spring onion. Heat the oil in a pot and add the chicken strips.
While the soup is boiling, cut the tofu, bamboo, carrots, and two types of mushrooms into thin strips. Beat the egg until smooth and set aside for later use. When the water boils, reduce the heat, add the soy sauce, two types of vinegar, and the hot pepper cream.
Add the striped tofu, bamboo shoots, carrots and mushrooms to the soup. Cook over high heat for 5 minutes, then sprinkle in the salt and sugar and continue cooking over medium heat. Taste and add a little more salt or vinegar if desired. Be sure to add these a little at a time to avoid making the soup too sour or salty.
In a small bowl, mix the cornstarch with a little cold water. Mix until smooth, then pour it into the soup in a slow, circular motion, a little at a time, stirring slowly. When the soup has thickened, turn the heat down to low and pour in the egg in a similar motion (dragging it into the soup as if drawing a swirl). Do not stir at this point, as this will completely “chop” the egg and it will not look aesthetically pleasing. Wait half a minute, then slowly stir the egg from the bottom of the pot to the surface.
Remove from the heat and it's ready. Serve fresh, sprinkled with chopped coriander or a little spring onion.
