Name: Fiery Sichuan Soup
Yield: Serves 4
Cuisine: China
Ingredients: 1 tablespoon black rice vinegar or cider vinegar; 15 g (½ oz) Chinese dried cloud ears (black fungus); 3 tablespoons finely chopped spring onions; 50 g (2 oz) bean thread (transparent) noodles; 1 egg, beaten; 2 tablespoons dark soy sauce; 100 g (4 oz) bamboo shoots, shredded; 1 tablespoon light soy sauce; 2 tablespoons tomato purée; 2 teaspoons sesame oil; 1.2 litres (2 pints) vegetable stock; 15 g (½ oz) Chinese dried mushrooms; 1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh ginger; 2 tablespoons chilli oil; 2 teaspoons freshly ground black pepper

Preparation info

Serves
4

Difficulty
Easy

Appears in

Ken Hom's Vegetarian Cookery

By Ken Hom

Published 1995

About

One of the great virtues of Chinese and most oriental cookery is their adaptability when confronted with new influences. This hot and spicy soup, now so popular in the West, is traditionally made with pork but, when dried mushrooms and cloud ears (black fungus) are substituted, the soup retains its excellent qualities and remains a substantial and nutritious meal. Do try to obtain the dried mushrooms and cloud ears — their textures are quite special.