1. Separately soak dried black mushrooms, cloud ear mushrooms and lily buds.

2. Blanch and shell chestnuts. Cut soaked mushrooms in half if large.

3. Discard tough ends of asparagus; cut stalks in 1-1/2 inch sections. Cut bamboo shoots in matchstick-like strips; sliver ginger root.

4. Heat oil. Add ginger root and stir-fry a few times. Add black mushrooms and chestnuts; stir-fry 2 minutes. Add cloud ear mushrooms; stir-fry a few times to coat with oil.

5. Add stock and soy sauce; then cook, uncovered, 10 minutes over medium heat, stirring frequently. Remove ingredients from pan.

6. Heat the second quantity of oil. Add asparagus and bamboo shoots and stir-fry 2 to 3 minutes. Stir in salt; then remove vegetables from pan.

7. Heat remaining oil. Add lily buds; stir-fry 2 minutes. Then stir in remaining soy sauce.

8. Return mushrooms and chestnuts to pan and cook, covered, 5 minutes over medium heat, stirring occasionally.

9. Return asparagus and bamboo shoots. Sprinkle with sugar and stir-fry only to reheat. Serve at once.

needed, 1 tablespoon at a time.

From <The Thousand Recipe Chinese Cookbook>, Isbn 0-517-65870-4. Downloaded from Glen's Mm Recipe Archive, http://www. Erols. Com/hosey.