Hot and Sour Mushroom and Tofu Soup

Ingredients

• 5g dried porcini mushrooms
• 50g fresh shiitake mushrooms
• 1200ml vegetable stock
• 1 x 225g can bamboo shoots drained and shredded
• 225g ready marinated tofu cut into thin strips
• 2 small red chillies finely chopped
• 3 tbsp white wine vinegar
• 1 tbsp shoyu
• 1 tbsp cornflour
• 4 tbsp water
• 2 tsp toasted sesame oil
• 2 spring onions shredded

Method

1. Soak the dried porcini in hot water for 15 minutes. Drain – strain liquid through muslin or kitchen paper and reserve. Wash and slice the porcini.
2. Remove and discard the stalks of the shiitake mushrooms. Slice the remaining cups.
3. In a saucepan mix the reserved mushroom liquid with the stock, add the sliced porcini and shiitake and bring to the boil. Simmer for 10 minutes.
4. Add bamboo shoots, tofu and chillies and simmer for further 5 minutes.
5. Add the vinegar and shoyu.
6. Mix the cornflour with a little water into a paste, add to soup stirring all the time, simmer until slightly thickened.
7. Remove from heat, season with the sesame oil and garnish with shredded spring onion.