Chinese sweet and sour vegetable soup

Ingredients for 4 servings:

• 100 g beef
• 200 g chicken breast fillet(s)
• 4 cubes of instant stock
• 2 cm ginger root
• 3 large moo-err mushrooms
• 1 onion(s)
• 2 carrots
• 1 bell pepper(s)
• 2 spring onions
• 3 tbsp sesame oil
• 50 g soy sprouts or mung bean sprouts
• 70 g bamboo shoots
• 1 egg(s)
• Sugar
• Vinegar
• Sambal Oelek
• chili powder
• 4 tbsp soy sauce, dark
• e.g. cornstarch, mixed in a little cold water

Instructions

Working time approx. 30 minutes; Cooking/baking time approx. 45 minutes; Total time approx. 1 hour 15 minutes

Soak the moo-err mushrooms in a bowl of lukewarm water for 45 minutes. Squeeze out the water from the mushrooms occasionally and add more water. Bring a pot to a boil with about 1.5 liters of water. Add the stock cube, a pinch of sugar, ginger root, and beef to the pot and bring to a boil. Simmer for about 15 minutes, then add the chicken breast fillet and cook for another 15 minutes. Remove the chicken breast fillet from the pot afterward, otherwise it will become tough. Leave the beef and ginger in the stock and set aside. Meanwhile, slice the carrots, bell peppers, and spring onions. Dice the onion into small cubes. In another pot, heat the sesame oil and sauté the onions and carrots, stirring constantly. Add the bell peppers and spring onions and continue stirring. Sprinkle a pinch of sugar over the vegetables, stir, and then add the soy sauce. Set aside to prevent burning. Remove the ginger and beef from the broth and then pour the broth over the vegetables. Return the pot to the stove and bring to a gentle boil. Meanwhile, finely chop the beef and chicken. Add the meat, soybean sprouts, and bamboo shoots to the soup and season with sugar, vinegar, sambal oelek, and chili powder. To make the soup a little creamier, thicken it with cornstarch. Finally, whisk the egg with water and slowly stir it into the hot soup. The soup can now be served in a bowl, garnished with a few spring onions.