Hot and Sour Chicken Soup With Ginger for Winter Chills

8 dried shiitake mushrooms (they seem to have stronger flavor than fresh)
1/2 cup dried black fungus
2 cups boiling water in two separate bows ( 1 cup per bowl)
6 oz. organic chicken thighs sliced thinly into strips
1 can bamboo shoots
2 T organic non-gmo cornstarch
2 T organic oil
32 oz. organic chicken broth
2 T organic soy sauce
1/2 t white pepper
4 T Braggs Organic Apple Cider Vinegar
2-3 oz. firm tofu cut into small strips
1/2 t each salt and black pepper
1 egg beaten
1/2" shredded fresh or frozen ginger root
2 scallions thinly sliced

With all the ingredients assembled, this soup only takes about 30 minutes to prepare.

Place shiitake mushrooms and black fungus each in a bowl and pour boiling water to cover. Let sit for 20 minutes.
Place shopped chicken in a bowl - sprinkle with 1- T cornstarch, 1/2 t salt and black pepper - stir to coat each piece with some of the mixture. Doesn't have to be solidly coated.
Heat frying pan. Add oil. Add chicken and saute until no longer pink. Set aside.
Heat chicken broth in a 4 quart pan.
After water has cooled, drain and squeeze each shiitake mushroom and slice - cutting off the stems. Drain and slice fungus into thin long strips. Add both to chicken broth. Add soy sauce.
Add cooked chicken to broth. Add sliced tofu to broth.
Slice bamboo shoots into long thin strips. Add to soup.

If you stop right here you have a great ginger chicken clear soup. Just add ginger and scallions and serve!

To go all the way to "Hot and Sour" go the last step!

Mix 1 T cornstarch with 2 T cold water until no lumps. Pour slowly into soup while stirring to thicken. Beat egg in small bowl and pour in a small stream into soup while stirring.
Add grated ginger and sliced scallion.
Serve hot. Lasts up to 3 days in refrigerator.