Recipes:
## **Hot and Sour Soup**
**Serves 4**
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### **Ingredients**
* 1 cup hot water
* 1/4 cup dried mushrooms **or** 1/2 cup sliced fresh mushrooms
* 5 tablespoons white vinegar
* 3 tablespoons soy sauce
* 4 tablespoons cornstarch, divided
* 8 ounces lean pork, shredded or ground
* 3 tablespoons water
* 4 cups chicken broth
* 1 egg
* 1 tablespoon Asian sesame oil
* 2 green onions, thinly sliced
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### **Make Ahead**
You can prepare this soup up to **24 hours ahead**. Reheat just before serving.
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### **Variation**
For a delicious nutty taste without the sesame oil, substitute **1 tablespoon toasted sesame seeds**.
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### **Directions**
1. Pour hot water over mushrooms in a small bowl; soak until softened, about **20 minutes**. Remove mushrooms; strain and reserve liquid.
2. Meanwhile, combine vinegar, soy sauce, **1 tablespoon cornstarch**, and pork in a small bowl. Blend remaining cornstarch and water in another small bowl. Bring soup to a boil in a large pot.
3. Reduce heat to medium-low. Add reserved liquid and mushrooms to soup. Simmer for **3 minutes**. Add pork mixture. Simmer until pork is no longer pink, about **2 minutes**.
4. Stir cornstarch mixture into soup. Cook until thickened, about **3 minutes**. Add egg to soup, stirring until set, about **1 minute**. Remove pot from heat. Drizzle oil over soup. Top with green onions.
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### Make It Quicker
Use the microwave to speed up the mushroom soaking process:
Place mushrooms and water into a microwave-safe bowl. Microwave on **MEDIUM** for about **2 minutes**, then let stand for **5 minutes**.
