Hot Peppery Soup

2 cakes bean curd
2 tablespoons polyunsaturated vegetable oil
2 red or green chillies, &seeded and chopped
100 g/4 oz chicken breast, minced
1 tablespoon cornflour
8 crisp lettuce leaves
900 ml/11/2 pints chicken stock
2 tablespoons soy sauce
2 spring onions, chopped
100 g/4 oz frozen peeled prawns, thawed
1 tablespoon cider vinegar freshly ground black pepper

Cut each bean curd cake into It) pieces. Heat the oil in a wok or frying pan, add the chillies and fry briskly for about 30 seconds to extract all the oil and flavour; discard the chillies. Add the bean curd to the pan and fry for 3 to 4 minutes until golden brown. Drain and set aside.

Mix the chicken and cornflour together. Tear each lettuce leaf into 3 or 4 pieces.

Heat the stock in a large pan. Add the chicken and cornflour mixture and stir until evenly mixed. Add the lettuce, soy sauce, spring onions, prawns and cider vinegar. Bring to the boil, then add pepper to taste. Cook for 2 minutes. Add the bean curd and serve hot.

SERVES 4 to 6