Hot & Sour Soup w/Tofu

Strain for Liquid Diet or use

Blender for Puree Dieters...

Yield: 8 servings

Ingredients:
3 tb Vegetable oil
2 lg Sweet red peppers, cored, seeded and cut into 3/4"x1/4" strips (about 3/4 cup)
1 sm Bunch green onions, cut diagonally into 3/4" pieces (about 1 1/2 cups)
2 c Chicken broth, canned OR homemade
2 c Vegetable stock OR water (stock recipe in next post)
2 tb Soy sauce
2 ts Red wine vinegar
1/2 ts Crushed red pepper flakes
1/4 ts Salt
1/8 ts Pepper
2 tb Cornstarch
3 tb Water
1 ts Oriental sesame oil
1/2 lb Snow peas, fresh or frozen
1 lb Firm tofu, drained and cut into 1/2" cubes
1 cn (8 oz.) sliced water chestnuts, drained

Directions:
Heat oil in large saucepan over medium-high heat.
Add pepper and onion;
stir fry about 5 minutes.
Add chicken broth, vegetable stock and soy sauce.
Bring to boiling.
Lower heat; simmer for about 5 minutes.
Stir together vinegar, red pepper flakes, salt, pepper, cornstarch*, water and sesame oil in a small bowl until smooth.
Add to soup with fresh snow peas; cook for about 5 minutes or until thickened and bubbly.
Add tofu, frozen snow peas if using, and water chestnuts.
Gently heat through.

* Omit Corn Starch if made for Liquid Diet.