Hot and Sour Soup, Harbin Style

Soups and Congees

Hot and Sour Soup, Harbin Style
Ingredients:
2 cups chicken broth
10 bundles konjac
3 Chinese black mushrooms, soaked, stems discarded, then sliced
1/4 cup crab meat (or shrimp), coarsely chopped
3 Tablespoons Yunnan or another Chinese ham, sliced
1/2 firm bean curd, cut thickness in half, then sliced
1 Tablespoon thin soy sauce
1 Tablespoon black vinegar
1 teaspoon chili paste
1/2 teaspoon sugar
1/4 teaspoon sea or kosher salt
1 Tablespoon cornstarch mixed with two tablespoons cold water
dash of ground white pepper
1 egg white
1 teaspoon sesame oil
Preparation:
1. Bring Chicken broth to a boil, then add konjac, black mushroom slices, crab meat, ham, bean curd, and the soy sauce. Reduce heat to simmer and cook for three minutes.
2. Add vinegar, chili paste, sugar, salt, cornstarch mixture, and the pepper, and return to the boil, stirring all the time.
3. Turn off the heat, add the egg white and the sesame oil, stir well, and serve in a pre-heated soup tureen or individually in pre-heated soup bowls.

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