MADAME WONG'S HOT AND SOUR SOUP

Steps:

• Put mushrooms and fungus into separate bowls.
• Cover each with boiling water.
• Let soak 3-4 hours, or overnight (to be honest, I let them soak about 15 minutes but I'm writing the recipe the way Madame Wong wrote it).
• Remove stems from mushrooms.
• Remove woody parts from fungus.
• Separately cut mushroms, fungus, pork and bamboo shoots to fine julienne.
• Mix pork with salt and cornstarch in a bowl.
• Heat wok and add a dash of oil, stir-fry pork until color changes.
• Bring chicken stock to a boil in a large pot.
• Add mushrooms, fungus, pork and bamboo shoots.
• Stir constantly.
• Add soy sauce, pepper, and vinegar.
• Thicken with dissolved cornstarch, stirring constantly over moderate heat.
• Add bean curd, bring to a boil.
• Turn off heat.
• Add beaten eggs.
• Stir quickly 30 seconds.
• Add sesame oil.
• Garnish with scallions and serve hot.
• Note: add more vinegar and pepper if a spicier taste is desired.
• Note#2: This can be prepared in advanced up to adding the bamboo shoots, or frozen after adding the soy sauce, pepper, vineagar and thickening with the cornstarch.
• Bring to room temperature and complete.