Time to cook: 1 hour

Ingredients:

4 outsized dried black mushrooms, stems removed

1 medium boneless skinless chicken breast (about 6 ounces)

1 1/4 inches fresh ginger, peeled

1/4 cup barbecued pork or 1/4 cup cooked ham

4 ounces shrimp

1/4 cup canned bamboo shoot

1/4 cup canned water chestnut

5 cups chicken stock or 5 cups chicken soup

1 cup mushroom liquid

1 tablespoon dark soya sauce

1 1/2 teaspoons rice wine or 1 1/2 teaspoons dry sherry

salt and pepper

3 -5 drops sesame oil

crispy rice

vegetable oil, for deep-frying

Instructions:

Marinate mushrooms in hot water for about 20 minutes.

Strain the liquid and reserve 1 cup for the soup.

Cut mushrooms into quarters. Cut the water chestnuts and bamboo shoots into thin slices.

Bring a pot of water to boil. Add the chicken and ginger and briefly grow pale the chicken, just until it changes color.

Drain and cut the chicken into thin slices. Bring the chicken stock or soup and the reserved mushroom liquid to a boil. Add the chicken and beef, shrimp and the vegetables.

Let simmer for a few minutes, and then add the soya sauce, sherry, and the salt and pepper. Sprinkle with the sesame oil.

Bring back to a boil and then let simmer for a few more minutes. Place the soup in a large serving bowl and keep warm. Heat wok and add oil for deep-frying.

When oil is ready, add the Crispy Rice. Deep-fry until it puff and turns brown, and then drain on paper towels.

Add the rice to the soup at the table, so that guests can hear the rice make popping sounds when added to the broth.