Hot and Sour Soup

12 dried Chinese mushrooms
1 c. hot water
8 c. vegetable broth
3 scallions, sliced
4 T soy sauce
3/4 c. corn kernels
3/4 c. green peas
1 sm can sliced bamboo shoots
1 lb firm tofu
1 T black pepper
6 T vinegar (white or cider)
4 T cornstarch or arrowroot
4 T cold water
1 egg
2 t Oriental sesame oil

Pour very hot water over dried mushrooms in a bowl and let soak for 30 minutes.
Bring broth to a boil and drain mushroom soaking liquid into this. Slice the mushrooms and add them to the pot along with the scallions, soy sauce, corn, peas, and bamboo shoots.
Cover and simmer over low heat for 5 minutes. Add tofu, pepper, and vinegar. Adjust seasonings to taste. You may find that you want to add more or less vinegar and pepper than what the recipe calls for.
When just about ready to serve the soup, mix starch and water to a paste and add to hot soup; cook, stirring, until slightly thickened. Beat egg with a fork; remove soup from heat and slowly pour in egg, stirring soup continuously with a chopstick or fork until egg "strings." Stir in sesame oil and serve.

Makes about 10 1-cup servings

Number of Servings: 10

Recipe submitted by SparkPeople user ANNIE2657.