Soup for the Lazy

I came up with this one night when nobody was that hungry, but I was sort of craving Chinese, and also had some tofu that needed to be used.  Wound up with a real easy and tasty hot and sour soup. The best part is that this is really quick, which is an asset in any soup you are cooking during the summer.


Lazy Hot and Sour Soup

• 6 cups water
• medium sized handful dried slivered tree ear mushrooms
• 1/2 block tofu, cut into strips
• 4 chicken bullion cubes
• a couple of cups of bok choi, chopped
• 2 tablespoons rice wine vinegar
• 1 teaspoon sesame oil
• 1 teaspoon soy sauce
• big glug hot sauce
• 2 teaspoons corn starch

Bring the water to a boil and toss in the mushrooms. Turn off the heat and let them sit until tender. Package says 30 minutes, but I find it's more like 10. Turn the heat back on to medium and add the rest of the ingredients, except the corn starch. Simmer about 5 minutes. Take a ladle-full of hot soup, and stir in the corn starch. Mix this all back into the pot, and give it a minute or two to thicken a bit and for the raw flavor of the corn starch to cook off.

When looking at recipes online, I found that most include dried lily blossoms. I've seen these in Asian grocery stores, but always forget to pick some up. I'll grab a pack some time when I'm shopping, just to have on hand.