Szechuan Soup
Servings:	6 to 8

1 ounce [28 g] dried mushrooms Boiling water 6 ounces [170 g] uncooked boneless lean pork 4 ounces [113 g] cooked ham 1 small sweet red pepper 1/2 cup [125 mL] water chestnuts 8 ounces [227 g] bean curd 8 green onions 8 cups [2 L] chicken stock 1/2 cup [125 mL] dry white wine 4 teaspoons [20 mL] soy sauce 1/2 teaspoon [2.5 mL] Chinese chili sauce 2 1/2 tablespoons [37.5 mL] cornstarch 5 tablespoons [75 mL] water 2 teaspoons [10 mL] vinegar 1 teaspoon [5 mL] sesame oil 1 egg 8 ounces [227 g] uncooked shrimps, shelled and deveined

Into a bowl, cover mushrooms with boiling water. Let stand for 30 minutes; drain. Remove and discard stems; thinly slice and reserve caps. Slice pork and ham into 'match-stick' thin strips; reserve. Remove membranes,seed then slice sweet red pepper into thin strips; reserve. Slice water chestnuts; reserve. Cut bean curd into 1/2-inch [1.3-cm] cubes; reserve. Thinly slice green onions; reserve. Mix together chicken stock, white wine, soy sauce and Chinese chili sauce into a 5-quart [5-L] Dutch oven. Bring to a boil over medium heat. Lower heat and leave soup to simmer, uncovered, for 5 minutes. Blend cornstarch and 4 tablespoons [60 mL] of the water. Slowly stir mixture into soup. Cook, stirring, until boiling. Add reserved mushrooms slices, pork and ham strips, sweet red pepper strips and water chestnut slices. Simmer, uncovered, for 5 minutes. Stir vinegar and sesame oil into soup. Beat egg and remaining 1 tablespoon [15 mL] water together, using a fork. Slowly drizzle beaten egg into soup, stirring vigorously. Add reserved green onion slices and bean curd cubes, and shrimps. Boil until shrimps are done, for 1 to 2 minutes, before serving.