Hot and Sour Soup

Rehydrate dried shiitake and wood ear mushrooms in hot water for 20-30 minutes. Squeeze out excess water, remove shiitake stems, and thinly slice both types of mushrooms. Shred the pork loin and dice the firm tofu into small strips. Prepare the cornstarch slurry by mixing cornstarch with cold water until smooth. Beat the eggs in a small bowl.

In a large pot or wok, heat 1 tablespoon of cooking oil over medium-high heat. Add the shredded pork and stir-fry until it is no longer pink, about 2-3 minutes. Pour in the chicken broth and bring it to a boil. Reduce heat to medium-low.

Add the sliced shiitake mushrooms, shredded wood ear mushrooms, diced tofu, and shredded bamboo shoots to the broth. Let the soup simmer gently for about 10 minutes to allow the flavors to meld.

Stir in the soy sauce, rice vinegar, and white pepper. Taste and adjust the seasoning as needed, adding more vinegar or white pepper for desired sourness and spiciness. Ensure the soup has a good balance of flavors.

Stir the cornstarch slurry once more and slowly pour it into the simmering soup in a thin stream, stirring continuously until the soup thickens to your desired consistency. Once thickened, slowly drizzle the beaten eggs into the swirling soup while stirring gently with chopsticks or a fork to create thin egg ribbons. Cook for about 1 minute until the egg is set.

Remove the soup from heat. Stir in the sesame oil. Ladle the hot and sour soup into individual bowls. Garnish with chopped green onions and a drizzle of chili oil, if desired. Serve immediately and enjoy this authentic Chinese classic.