Seed and clean the bittermelon, then dice--soaking in salt water takes some of the bitterness out. Saute the onion and peppers in wine with sesame/seaweed, sesame oil and salt (first 11 ingredients) until onion is clear.

Add the broth. While the soup heats, trim the stem ends from mushrooms, slicing the woodears into thin strips. Slice the shiitakes lengthwise, slicing the stems thinly. Rinse, then add to soup. Drain the bittermelon and add to soup.

Prepare herbs, wrap in cheesecloth and add. Bring to boil, then simmer. Adjust salt and heat. It wasn't hot enough for me so I added 3 more Thai Dragons and 2 Serranos here. Some MSG if you like. Cayenne powder for color. Simmer about 20 min, until mushrooms are cooked.

Serve with thick pieces of toasted sourdough peasant bread. Garnish with garlic chives or cilantro.

Yield: 5 quarts