Lamb and cucumber soup

This is a variation of Hot and Sour Soup, but much simpler to prepare and equally delicious – if not even more so!

1/2 lb (225 g) leg of lamb fillet
1 tbsp Chinese rice wine or dry sherry
1 tbsp soy sauce
1 tsp sesame seed oil
1/2 cucumber
1 pint (600 ml) good stock
salt and pepper to taste
about 2 tsp vinegar (more if so desired)

Method

Cut the lamb into very thin slices about the size of a large postage stamp. Marinate with wine, soy sauce and sesame seed oil for 10-15 minutes. Thinly slice the cucumber into similar size; do not peel.

Bring the stock to the boil, add the lamb slices and seasonings together with cucumber and bring to the boil once more. Simmer for about 1 minute at the very most. Overcooking will toughen the meat particularly if it is cut very thinly. Serve hot.

© Deh-Ta Hsiung and reproduced with his kind permission.