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Hot And Sour Soup

Ingredients

• 1 tablespoon sesame oil
• 3 tablespoons soy sauce, or more to taste
• 3 tablespoons cornstarch
• 1/2 pound boneless pork loin
• 6 cups chicken or vegetable stock or water
• 1 tablespoon minced garlic
• 1 tablespoon grated or minced fresh ginger
• 1/2 pound shiitake mushrooms, stems removed and caps sliced
• 1/2 pound extra-firm tofu, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
• 2 celery stalks, roughly chopped
• 1/4 cup rice vinegar, or more to taste
• Freshly ground black pepper
• Salt
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro leaves for garnish
• 1/2 cup chopped scallions for garnish

Directions

1. Whisk together 1 teaspoon of the sesame oil with 1 tablespoon of the soy sauce and 1 tablespoon of the cornstarch in a bowl.
2. Cut the pork crosswise into thin slices, then cut each slice into sticks no more than 1/2 inch wide.
3. Add the meat to the bowl; toss to coat it in the soy mixture and let it sit.
4. Put the stock, garlic, and ginger in a pot over medium-high heat and bring to a boil.
5. Add the mushrooms, reduce the heat to low so that the liquid bubbles steadily, and cook until the mushrooms are softened and the broth is darkened a bit, 3 to 5 minutes.
6. Bring the soup back to a boil over medium heat and add the meat.
7. Stir to make sure the pieces do not stick together and cook until the meat is no longer pink, 1 to 3 minutes.
8. Add the tofu, celery, vinegar, a generous sprinkle of black pepper, and the remaining 2 tablespoons soy sauce.
9. Lower the heat so the soup bubbles and cook until the flavors meld a bit, a minute or two.
10. Whisk the remaining 2 tablespoons cornstarch with 1/4 cup water in a bowl to make a slurry.
11. Stir the cornstarch mixture into the soup and cook, stirring, until it just begins to thicken, 1 minute.
12. Turn off the heat and stir in the remaining 2 teaspoons sesame oil; taste and adjust the seasoning with salt, pepper, soy sauce, or vinegar.
13. Garnish with the cilantro and scallions and serve.

Attribution