The first time I ever tried hot and sour soup, I was twelve years old. My sister, Janie, and I walked from our house to our favorite local Chinese restaurant, Seven Star Mandarin, for lunch. Janie, fourteen, was in charge of ordering. She told me that we were getting this crazy-looking soup and to just eat it instead of asking a million questions about it. “You’ll love it,” she insisted. The soup was like nothing I had ever tasted and it was even better than Janie had predicted. Ever since then, I’ve been hooked on this Chinese combination of opposing flavors and textures—hot pepper, tangy vinegar, crunchy lily buds, velvety eggs.

Ingredients:

8 cups chicken stock or broth
1/4 cup dried wood ear mushrooms
1/2 cup dried lily buds
1^1/2 cups sliced shiitake mushrooms
2 large eggs, lightly beaten
6 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
1/4 cup dark soy sauce
2 tablespoons red chile paste, such as Sriracha sauce
1 cup diced firm tofu
1 cup julienned bamboo shoots
1 bunch scallions, thinly sliced
2 tablespoons toasted sesame oil
4 tablespoons cornstarch dissolved in 4 tablespoons cold water

Directions:

In a stockpot combine the chicken stock and wood ear mushrooms. Bring to a boil over high heat. Add the lily buds and shiitake mushrooms. Reduce the heat to medium and simmer for 5 minutes.

While the mixture is still simmering whisk in the beaten eggs until cooked into threads. Add the vinegar, soy sauce, chile sauce, tofu, bamboo shoots, scallions, sesame oil, and cornstarch-water mixture. Return to a boil. Cook for 1 minute and remove from the stove.

Makes 8 servings.