This is basically chicken soup with pork in it, along with a few Chinese ingredients (tofu, black mushrooms) and vinegar for sour, white pepper for hot.

The amounts given are for 6 servings; you can double (triple) at will.

3 1/2 c. chicken broth (canned is fine)
1 tbsp. soy sauce
1 tbsp. rice wine, dry sherry or any dry white wine
1/2 tsp. salt

Combine this stuff and start it simmering while you get the rest together.

STUFF THAT GOES IN THE SOUP

1/2 pound of boneless pork; cut off any fat, and slice into slivers. Drop it into the broth as you cut it. I often use more.

4 large black mushrooms (a.k.a. shitake). These are usually bought dried. Soak them in very hot water for about 15 to 20 minutes, until soft. Pour the water into the broth. Slice the mushrooms into slivers, and drop into the soup.

1/2 cup bamboo shoots. Buy a can of these (sliced), and then slice again, into shreds. Pour the fluid from the can into the soup, along with the shredded shoots.

1 cake of tofu (bean curd). Cut this into chunks of about 1/2" x 1/2" x 2", drop into the soup.

1 egg, beaten in a cup. With the soup boiling well, stir continually while slowly pouring the beaten egg in.

OPTIONAL STUFF TO PUT IN THE SOUP

1 tablespoon broken pieces of tree ear (a.k.a. tree fungus), soaked the same way as the black mushrooms. A little of this stuff dried becomes a lot when reconstituted. Pour the water in with the tree ears.

4 tiger lily buds, treated same way as tree ears.

1 can straw mushrooms, including fluid in can.

1 can golden mushrooms, including fluid. When you take these out of the can, you'll see that many are attached together at the bottom. Cut them apart.

WHAT TO DO WHEN THE STUFF IS IN THE SOUP

All along, it should have been simmering. Keep it going and add:

2 tablespoons of red vinegar (Chinese rice vinegar colors the soup well, but red wine is okay, and in a pinch, any vinegar is fine).

1/2 teaspoon white pepper. Stir the stuff, and taste it. The pepper tends to get a little stronger after a while, but the 1/2 teaspoon is good for a start. Lots of people like more (same story for the vinegar).

2 tablespoons of cornstarch, dissolved in 2 tablespoons of white wine. Before adding this, make sure the soup is up to a rolling boil and stir continuously while pouring it in slowly. If the soup isn't hot enough, the cornstarch turns into crud.

NOW THAT YOU'VE MADE THE SOUP

The soup is now ready to serve, with garnishes:

2 scallions, chopped

Sesame oil, to be sprinkled on top.

For those who want their soup hotter, Chinese hot oil (this is sesame oil that has had chili peppers soaking in it).