Step by step

1. Prepare the vegetables. Place the dried lily bulb, shiitake mushroom, and wood ear mushroom (or black fungus) into separate bowls. Cover each with 240 ml of boiling water and soak until softened. Strain and reserve the liquid from the lily bulb and shiitakes, but not the black fungus. Finely slice the mushrooms and trim the lily bulbs to a manageable length, and set aside.

2. Set up the Food Processor with the slicing disc in the highest position. Lock the lid, turn to Speed 2 and feed the bamboo shoots and ginger into the tube using the food pusher. (NOTE: If you prefer shredded ginger and bamboo shoots, simply use the shredding disc instead of the slicing disc and then flip it to the slicing side before processing the chicken.) Then, slice the partially frozen chicken into portions that will fit in the feed tube, and feed the chicken into the feed tube with the food pusher.

3. Heat a soup pot and add 1 tablespoon of oil. Pour the chicken, bamboo shoots and ginger from the food processor work bowl into the pan. Saute for 1 minute, stirring constantly. Add the prepared lily bulb, shiitakes, black fungus, and scallions into the pot. Stir all the ingredients together and continue to saute for another minute.

4. Add the water, the reserved shiitake and lily bulb liquid, the soy sauce, Xiaoxing wine, white pepper and salt. Bring to rapid simmer (not boiling) for about ten minutes to allow the flavors to meld.

5. Dissolve the cornstarch completely in the cold water, then slowly stir it into the soup. Once the soup has thickened a bit, add in tofu. Then, add each egg into the soup, stirring between additions. When the eggs are fully cooked (about 2 minutes), turn off heat.

6. Just before serving, add black vinegar a bit at a time and taste for preference. (Add more or less as desired). Add more white pepper, vinegar and soy sauce to taste. Garnish with fresh cilantro leaves and sesame oil.

7. In place of the chicken breast or thighs, you can substitute pork, lamb, or beef loin.