Soup With Beef Balls

4-5 dried Chinese mushrooms
350 g/12 oz lean minced beef
1 onion, peeled and finely chopped
salt
1 tablespoon cornflour
1 small egg
900 in1/11/2 pints beef stock
1 bunch watercress, stalks removed
3 spring onions, finely chopped
1 tablespoon soy sauce

Soak the mushrooms in warm water for 15 minutes. Squeeze dry and discard the hard stalks, then slice the mushroom caps.

Mix the beef, onion, salt to taste, cornflour and egg together and shape the mixture into small balls. Drop the meat balls into iced water for 15 minutes; drain thoroughly.

Heat the stock in a large pan. Add the meat balls and cook for 10 minutes. Add the mushrooms, watercress, spring onions and soy sauce and cook for 2 minutes. Serve hot.

SERVES 4 to 6