HOT & SOUR TOFU SOUP

      Title: HOT & SOUR TOFU SOUP
  Categories: Chinese, Soups
       Yield: 1 Servings
  
       8 md Dry shiitake mushrooms
            -(about 3/4 oz. total)
       1 tb Salad oil
       1    Clove garlic, minced or
            -pressed
       1 tb Minced fresh ginger
   1 1/2 qt Regular-strength chicken
            -broth
       1 lb Soft or regular tofu,
            -rinsed, cut into 1/2-inch
            -cubes, and
            Drained well
       3 tb Rice vinegar or cider
            -vinegar
   1 1/2 tb Soy sauce
       3 tb Cornstarch
     3/4    To 1 teaspoon white pepper
     1/2    To 1 teaspoon chili oil
            -(optional)
       4    Green onions (ends
            -trimmed), thinly sliced
            Crisp noodles (recipe
            -follows)
            Crisp-creamy peas (recipe
            -follows)
  
   Soak mushrooms in hot water to cover until soft, about
        20    minutes.
   
   Drain; cut off tough stems and discard.  Cut caps into thin strips;
   set aside.
   
   Pour oil into a 4- to 5-quart pan.  Place over medium heat and add
   garlic and ginger; stir until garlic is light gold. Add broth and
   mushrooms; bring to a boil on high heat. Add tofu; cover and simmer
   until tofu is hot, 3 to 5 minutes.  Mix rice vinegar, soy sauce, and
   cornstarch until smooth; stir into soup.  Cook, stirring, until soup
   boils. Add white pepper and chili oil to taste.  Stir in onions. Pour
   into a tureen. offer noodles and peas to add to taste.
   
   Makes 6 servings.
   
   CRISP NOODLES:
   
   Pour about 1 inch salad oil into a 2 1/2- to 3-quart pan. Heat oil to
   350F. Add a handful of fresh Chinese noodles or fresh taglierini
   (you'll need 3 oz. total) to oil; fry, turning, until crisp and
   golden, about 1 minute. Lift out; drain on paper towels. Repeat to
   fry remaining noodles. Serve, or let cool and store airtight for up
   to 5 days. Makes 3 cups. Or omit this step and use 1 can (5 oz.) chow
   mein noodles.
   
   CRISP-CREAMY PEAS:
   
   Rinse and drain 1 can (16 oz.) black-eyed peas. Spread out on a double
   layer of paper towels and pat dry. Place beans in a 10- by 15- inch
   baking pan. Add 1 tablespoon salad oil and mix to coat beans. Bake in
   a 400F oven until beans are lightly browned and crisp on outside,
   about 15 minutes; stir occasionally. Serve hot or warm. Makes 1 cup.
   
   Sunset Magazine, 4/89.
   
   Posted by Stephen Ceideberg; February 10 1992.
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