Chinese Hot-and-Sour Soup

by: Naomi

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When made with the best ingredients, this soup is redolent of mushrooms, the pepper is aromatic but not biting, and the soup has a broth like consistency rather than gelatinous from too much cornstarch. Traditionally this soup is made with pork and pork broth, but any meat and any broth will work. In fact, it is particularly good with duck. For the best results, look for dried shiitake mushrooms with caps that have a network of fissures revealing white flesh. Depending on their size—and size seems to have little effect on flavor—these mushrooms will run anywhere from expensive to very expensive. Fortunately a few go a long way and it is worth buying a lot because they will keep for years. Some of the ingredients in this soup—the tree ears, tiger lily stems, and tofu—are more for texture than flavor and can be left out. I call specifically for Japanese tofu because I prefer its texture. If you are using raw meat, make sure it is from a tender cut, as tough cuts won’t have time to tenderize. Use the finest wine vinegar you can find (sherry is often the best bet), and be sure to use dark Asian sesame oil made from toasted seeds (the Japanese brands are consistently superior). The cold-pressed sesame oil sold in health-food stores doesn’t have the flavor you need.