Hot and Sour Soup

Another recipe easily available at Asian restaurants for most, but because of the egg, made taboo for the vegan. Here's a version that allows you to try it at home.

Place 5 dried shiitake and 5 dried woodear mushrooms in a bowl, and cover with boiling water. Let stand ten minutes, then drain and thinly slice. My supermarket did not currently have shiitakes, so I substituted dried portobellos in a pinch, but I would urge you to make sure you have woodears - their shape and texture are distinctive.

Bring 4 cups broth, 2 cups water, a tablespoon minced fresh ginger and a teaspoon minced fresh garlic to a boil in a large saucepan. Add the mushrooms, reduce heat, and simmer for five minutes.

Add 1/4 cup rice vinegar (Eden Organic's, I know, is vegan: http://www.edenfoods.com/), one tablespoon soy sauce, a dash of black pepper, and 8 oz tofu, cut into 1/4-inch cubes. Return to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer for five minutes.

Combine 1/4 cup water and 2 1/2 tablespoons cornstarch, stirring well with a whisk. Pour into the soup and bring to a boil again; reduce heat and simmer 5 minutes.

Create the equivalent of 4 vegan eggs with a substitute (such as Ener-G Egg Replacer). Whisk very well, since the original recipe calls for egg white lightly beaten. Slowly pour the "eggs" into the broth, stirring gently but constantly. Obviously it's been a while since I've had the real thing, but these makeshift eggs do add the same egg-white-like consistency, body, and sheen to the soup.

Remove from heat. Stir in 1/2 cup chopped green onions, 1/4 cup chopped cilantro and 1 teaspoon sesame oil. Four servings of 1 3/4 cups each and 160 calories.

Cost:
dried portobellos $4.99
dried woodear $2.99
broth $3.79
ginger $0.30
tofu $2.19
green onions $0.99