MMMMM----- Recipe via Meal-Master (tm) v8.02

     Title: CHINESE HOT & SOUR SOUP
Categories: Soups/stews, Chinese, Poultry
     Yield: 4 servings

     6 c  Chicken stock
     2    Chicken breast halves
     1 sl 1" fresh ginger root
     1    Onion, sliced
     6    Shiitake mushrooms,
          -soaked 20 mins in hot water
          For 20 minutes
     2 ts Low-sodium soy sauce
     2 tb Rice wine (or dry vermouth)
     3 tb Rice vinegar
     1 tb Sichuan hot bean paste
   1/2 ts Ground white pepper
   1/2 c  Canned bamboo shoots;
          -cut into julienne strips
     1 c  Tofu; 1/2-in dice
     3 lg Eggs, beaten
   1/2 c  Spring onions; thinly sliced

 In this hot soup, the chilies' fire is hidden in the Sichuan hot bean
 paste.

 Heat the chicken stock to a boil.  Add the chicken breasts, ginger
 root and onion and simmer for 35 minutes, covered.  Remove the
 chicken, reserving the stock, and let cool, remove skin and bones and
 shred meat. Set aside.

 Strain the chicken stock into a 4-quart pan and bring again to a boil.

 Drain the soaking mushrooms, discard the stems, and thinly slice the
 caps. Add them to the stock with the soy sauce, rice wine, rice
 vinegar, hot bean paste and white pepper, reduce the heat and simmer
 for 10 minutes. Add the shredded chicken, bamboo shoots and bean curd
 and simmer for another 2 minutes, then bring to a full boil.  Beat
 the eggs well and, as you gently stir the soup, slowly add the eggs
 in a thin stream. Adjust the seasoning for salt, hot bean paste and
 tartness.

 At serving time, add the green onion slices.

 Make 4 appetizer servings.

 Per serving:  178 calories, 6 gm carbohydrates, 133 mg cholesterol,
 :        348 mg sodium, 18 gm protein, 9 gm fat, 3 gm saturated fat

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