Dear editor:

Do you have a recipe for Spicy and Sour Soup (Sometimes called Hot and Sour Soup)?

Robert Schroeder
…………………………………………………………………………………

Dear Robert Schroeder,

Spicy and sour soup is a household soup in China. Our editor Chen Lin made this soup last night and took some pictures for you. I hope that it will be helpful.

Ingredients:

2 eggs, about 10 black fungus, about 10 day lily; half a spoon of white pepper powder, three spoons of vinegar, half a spoon of salt, starch, and, if you like, some bean curd (100g). More or less vegetables and spices may be added to taste.

Mix the eggs in one bowl and put the starch into a separate bowl with some water. Set both bowls aside. Then, boil the water.

Put black fungus and day lily into the boiled water. And if you want to add bean curd, cut then into pieces and add it into water with black fungus and day lily in this step.

Add white pepper powder into it.

When it's boiled, add the starch-water mixture into it. And when it's boiled again, then add the eggs into it.

The last step: add vinegar and salt and when it's boiled -- the soup's made. Aha, Enjoy it!

(China.org.cn February 8, 2007)