(Hushi Suanla Geng)

SERVES 4

This rendition of hot and sour soup gets its sourness from chinkiang vinegar, a rice vinegar reminiscent of balsamic.

1 tbsp. vegetable oil
1⁄4 cup hot bean sauce
4 cups Chicken Stock
1 tbsp. shaoxing jiu (Chinese rice wine)
1⁄4 tsp. sugar
1⁄8 tsp. freshly ground white pepper
Pinch of salt
16 large peeled deveined shrimp, 12 butterflied (tails left
   on), 4 finely chopped
1⁄4 lb. silken tofu, julienned
1⁄2 cup drained canned bamboo shoots, julienned
1⁄2 oz. dried wood ear mushrooms (about 2 medium or
   1 large), soaked in water for 1 hour, rinsed and
   julienned
6 small dried shiitake mushrooms, soaked in water for
   30 minutes, julienned
2 large scallops, julienned
2 tbsp. cornstarch
2–3 tbsp. chinkiang vinegar
2 scallions, finely chopped

1. Heat a large flat-bottomed wok over high heat until hot. Add oil, then bean sauce, and cook until fragrant, about 5 seconds. Add stock, wine, sugar, pepper, and salt; bring to a boil. Add butterflied shrimp and simmer until just cooked through, about 1 minute. Using a slotted spoon, transfer shrimp to a plate and set aside. Stir in chopped shrimp, tofu, bamboo shoots, mushrooms, and scallops; bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low; simmer, covered, for 3 minutes.

2. Stir cornstarch together with 3 tbsp. water in a bowl. Uncover wok, return soup to a boil, stir in cornstarch mixture, and cook, stirring constantly, until thickened, about 1 minute. Remove from heat, stir in vinegar, and ladle soup into 4 bowls. Garnish with butterflied shrimp and scallions.