Vegan Hot and Sour Soup

Recipe View Rehydrate the Mushrooms & Lily Buds: In a small bowl, combine wood ear mushrooms, shiitake mushrooms, and lily buds with 1 1/2 cups of hot water. Soak for 20 minutes, or until fully rehydrated. (Time: 20 minutes)

Recipe View Prepare the Rehydrated Ingredients: Drain the soaked mushrooms and lily buds, reserving the liquid. Trim the stems from the mushrooms and slice them thinly. Halve the lily buds. (Time: 5 minutes)

Recipe View Soak Bamboo Fungus: In a separate small bowl, soak bamboo fungus in 1/4 cup of lightly salted hot water for about 20 minutes, until rehydrated. Drain and mince. (Time: 20 minutes)

Recipe View Marinate Tofu: In a third small bowl, whisk together soy sauce, rice vinegar, and 1 tablespoon of cornstarch. Add half of the tofu strips to the mixture and let them marinate. (Time: 5 minutes)

Recipe View Build the Broth: In a medium saucepan, combine the reserved mushroom and lily bud liquid with the vegetable broth. Bring to a boil, then add the wood ear mushrooms, shiitake mushrooms, and lily buds. Reduce the heat and simmer for 3-5 minutes. Season with crushed red pepper flakes, black pepper, and white pepper. (Time: 10 minutes)

Recipe View Thicken the Soup: In a small bowl, whisk together the remaining cornstarch with the remaining water to form a slurry. Gradually stir the slurry into the broth mixture until thickened. (Time: 3 minutes)

Recipe View Finish and Serve: Add the marinated tofu and remaining tofu strips to the saucepan. Return to a boil, then stir in the bamboo fungus, chili oil, and sesame oil. Garnish with sliced green onion before serving. (Time: 5 minutes)