Mushroom Soup

[annie]

Ingredients

Chinese mushroom (dried) 2-3
Mushrooms 2-3
Cabbage ¼ small sized
Tofu (bean curd) 50 gms
Capsicum

1 medium sized
Green chillies 2
Bamboo shoots 2 slices
Carrot 1 medium sized
Ginger ½ inch piece
Garlic 2-3 cloves
Spring onion 1
Noodles 1 cup
Oil 2 tbsps + to deep fry
Cornstarch 3tbsps
Red chilli sauce ½ tbsp
Soy sauce 2 tbsps
White pepper powder ½ tsp
Ajinomoto ¼ tsp
Salt to taste
Vegetable stock 4-5 cups
Vinegar 1 tbsp
METHOD

Wash and soak Chinese mushrooms in hot water for fifteen minutes. Drain, wash thoroughly and finely chop.

Wash and finely chop mushrooms, cabbage and tofu. Wash, halve, de-seed and finely chop capsicum. Remove stems, wash and finely chop green chillies.

Boil the bamboo shoot slices in one cup of water for three to four minutes. Drain completely, cool and chop finely.

Peel, wash and finely chop carrot, ginger and garlic. Trim, wash and finely chop spring onion and reserve some chopped spring onion greens for garnish .

Blanch noodles in hot water, remove and drain well. Heat sufficient oil in a wok and deep-fry the boiled noodles for two to three minutes or until light brown and crisp. Remove and drain onto an absorbent kitchen towel. Blend cornstarch in half cup of water and keep aside.

Heat two-tablespoon oil in a pan, add chopped ginger, garlic, green chilli and stir-fry briefly. Add chopped spring onion and cook for a couple of minutes.

Add chopped mushrooms, cabbage, bamboo shoots, tofu, capsicum, carrot and cook on medium heat, stirring continuously for two minutes.

Add chilli sauce, soy sauce, pepper powder, Ajinomoto, salt to taste and stir well to mix. Stir in the vegetable stock and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer for two to three minutes.

Stir in the blended cornstarch and cook for two minutes or until the soup thickens, stirring continuously.

Stir in vinegar and serve piping hot, garnished with crispy fried noodles and spring onion greens.