Vegan Hot and Sour Soup

8 c water

4 Tb Soy Sauce

4 Tb Rice Vinegar or Black Vinegar

1 Tb Chinese Cooking Wine

2 Tb Minced Garlic

2 Tb Minced Ginger

1-2 Pinches White Pepper

1/2 c Black Fungus (wood ear)

1/2 c Shiitake Mushrooms

1/2 c Dried Lilly Flower (optional)

1/2 Block Firm Tofu sliced or cubed

1/2 c Bamboo Shoots

3 Tb Corn Starch

3 Tb Water for Slurry

1-2 Tb Water for sauté

Scallions for garnish

1. Into a large bowl add black fungus, shiitake, dried lily flower and 8 cups of water for 6 hr. or over night to rehydrate.

2. After hydration is complete, remove all mushrooms and lily flower from water and squeeze out any remaining water and reserve the soaking water.

3. Slice the stems off the shiitakes and thinly slice and set aside. Do the same with the black mushrooms.

4. Mince the garlic and ginger.

5. Heat up stock pot to medium/high heat and add 1 Tb water and sauté garlic and ginger till soft, about 3-4 min., add another table spoon of water if needed.

6. Add the reserved mushroom water to the pot, then add all the mushrooms and lily flower, bring to a boil and reduce heat to a simmer for 15 min.

7. Add in soy sauce, Chinese cooking wine, bamboo shoots and tofu and simmer for another 5 min.

8. Make slurry by mixing cornstarch with water and whisk together.

9. While stirring the pot slowly add the slurry and cook till the broth becomes more viscus and silky.

10. Stir in the vinegar and turn off heat.

11. Now serve and garnish with scallions, enjoy!