Hot And Sour Chicken Soup

In a large stock pot over medium heat add oil, chicken, mushrooms, garlic, chili paste and ginger. Saute until mushrooms soften.

In a bowl combine cornstarch with chicken stock until cornstarch is totally dissolved. Pour chicken stock slurry into the pot with the mushrooms and chicken, scraping any brown bits off the bottom of the pan. Add soy sauce and bring mixture to a simmer and cook for about 15 minutes or until chicken is cooked through. Add bamboo shoots.

Remove soup from heat and add honey, rice vinegar and sesame seed oil. At this point taste the soup and adjust soy, honey, rice vinegar and sesame seed oil to taste.

Combine eggs with 1 tablespoon of water and whisk until thoroughly combined.

Stir pot in a circle going in one direction. Slowly pour eggs in a steady stream into the hot soup. (Soup should still be hot enough for the eggs to cook upon entering the broth.) Stir until eggs solidify. Add tofu and bean sprouts.

Ladle soup into serving bowls. Garnish bowls with scallions and serve immediately.