I belong to the school that feels that a meal isn't a meal unless there's meat involved, but this looks like a satisfying vegetarian dish. Use vegetable stock instead of chicken stock if you're adamant about avoiding animal products. The article says that for cooking purposes, lotus roots can be treated as potatoes and talks about the Japanese using them in tempura dishes and coming up with an "exotic potato chip". Sounds good to me! In 2 separate bowls, cover dried black mushrooms and tree ears with water until soft and pliable (about 30 minutes). Rinse and squeeze out excess water from both mushrooms. Remove and discard stems from black mushrooms; cut caps in half and set aside. Pinch off and discard hard center from tree ears; tear large pieces in half and set aside. Rinse lotus root with cold water. Trim and discard both ends of the bulb. With a vegetable peeler, peel the skin. Cut bulbs in half lengthwise. Lay flat and cut crosswise into 0 cm-thick slices; set aside. Plunge slices into acidulated water. Drain. Over medium-high heat preheat wok until hot. Add oil and tilt wok to coat sides. Add salt, ginger and garlic; stir-fry until fragrant. Add onions; stir-fry for 15 seconds or until they begin to wilt. Add black mushrooms, lotus root, tree ears, water chestnuts and snow peas; stir-fry for about 2 minutes or until snow peas turn bright green. Sprinkle in the sugar, white pepper, and soy sauce; toss a few seconds. Splash the chicken stock against sides of hot wok and use to deglaze sides. Cover, reduce to medium heat; cook for 30 seconds. Remove cover, dribble in the sesame oil Serve hot. Serves 8. San Francisco Chronicle, 1. 92592592592.589.