This mushroom broth features four different types of mushrooms that you can find quite easily in an Asian-type supermarket. Here, we have black fungus, straw mushrooms, brown shimeji and shiitake, in a really cleansing broth filled with different textures. It’s a great palate cleanser and I served it as such at my October Japanese-inspired supper club in Crystal Palace. See the full menu and links to each recipe, here.
Mushroom broth
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Serves 6
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10g dried black fungus mushrooms
30g dried shiitake
1 onion
2 tbsp mirin
2 tbsp soy sauce
2 tbsp sesame seed oil
1 tbsp freshly grated ginger
handful of coriander stems
150g enoki brown, trimmed
Rinse both the dried mushrooms in cold water, then place them in a large jug. Add 1 litre boiling water to them and allow to stand for 5-10 mins, until rehydrated.
Peel, trim and half the onion, then preheat a griddle pan to a high heat (you can use a non-stick frying pan instead if you don’t have a griddle pan). Griddle the onion halves on all sides for 2-3 mins each, or until the onion is charred.
Transfer the onion to a large saucepan and add the water from the dried mushrooms, plus the mirin, soy sauce, sesame seed oil ginger and coriander stems. Bring to the boil and simmer for 10 mins.
In the meantime, slice the shiitake mushrooms and black fungus and add to the soup. Simmer for 10 mins.
Add the shimeji mushrooms and simmer for 15 mins, then serve in teacups and saucers.