Hot and Sour Soup - Szechuan-Style

Our favorite chinese soup, this dish can be and is prepared a million ways. Our version is heavy on the spicy heat and vinegar - you can leave this stuff out, but you'll end up with something more like the takeout restaurant version rather than the real thing...

6 cups vegetable stock
3 slices ginger
10 dried red chilis

2 fresh shiitake mushrooms, thinly sliced
1/2 cup enoki or straw mushrooms
1 wood ear mushroom, rehydrated, cut into thin strips
1/2 cup fresh bamboo shoot, slivered
1 cup firm tofu, diced
1 carrot, julienned
1 stalk celery, thinly sliced
1/4 cup fresh water chestnuts or sunchokes, diced
1/4 cup Szechuan preserved vegetables, julienned (optional)

2 TB soy sauce
1 TB mushroom-flavored dark soy sauce
1/2 TB high quality dark sesame oil
1/2 cup red or white rice vinegar
1/2 TB chili garlic sauce
1 TB sugar
1 tsp. white pepper
1 tsp. roasted chili powder (optional)
1/8 tsp. ground Szechuan peppercorns

4 TB cornstarch dissolved in 4TB cold water
1 egg, beaten (optional)
green onions, chopped, for garnish
cilantro, for garnish

Add stock, chilis, and ginger to pot, cover, and simmer for 20 minutes. Remove ginger and add all remaining ingredients except cornstarch mixture, egg, and garnishes. Simmer for 20-30 minutes. Add cornstarch mixture and bring to a boil until thickened. Immediately remove from heat and begin dripping spoonfuls of the beaten egg into the hot soup as you stir the soup with the other hand (this creates a nice ribbon effect). Ladle into bowls and serve. Garnish with chopped green onions, a sprig of cilantro, and a few drops of chili-sesame oil (rayu).