[shel]

I'd like to add a few good recipes to my Hot and Sour recipe collection. Anything you think might be interesting would be appreciated. Here's a little something I whip up from time to time - it's not traditional, and I vary the recipe and ingredients according to my mood and what's on hand, but I enjoy the flavors and textures.

Uncle Shel’s Cheap and Quick Hot and Sour Vegetable Soup

½ carrot, sliced matchstick style
½ zucchini, sliced matchstick style
some greens like chard, kale, etc., chopped to your liking
Some red, yellow, or orange peppers for color and flavor, sliced matchstick fashion
1 small piece pork in matchsticks
a few pieces matchsticks chicken breast (optional)
a few shrimp (optional you can chop ‘em into small pieces or use whole)
2 thinly sliced dried black or 2 - 3 fresh shitake mushrooms, thin sliced
(crimini ‘shrooms will do in a pinch)
bamboo shoots, matchstick
1-2 tsp ginger, grated or smashed and chopped fine
1 tsp red chili pepper (or to taste) or chile sesame oil or chile paste (to taste)
½ tsp fresh ground black pepper or to taste
2 - 3 cups chicken stock *OR*
2-3 cupswater + ½ packet ramen noodles seasoning, shrimp or ckn flavor
½ pkg ramen noodles (optional)
cornstarch in water for thickener
1 tsp toasted sesame oil (unless chile sesame oil was used)
2 tbs light soy sauce
1 tbs finely chopped scallions
1 - 2 tbs unseasoned brown rice vinegar
Add grated carrot, zucchini, mushrooms, pork (chicken or shrimp can be added as well), ginger, red pepper flakes, black pepper to stock with noodles. Bring to a boil for a couple of minutes. Add cornstarch mixture to thicken soup a little. Add vinegar, sesame oil,soy sauce, remove from heat, garnish with scallions.

Some thoughts: Boil stock and add cornstrarch to thicken as possible first step.
White instead of black pepper, or pepper melange with some Szechuan pepper is fine.