Braised Shiitake Mushrooms

INGREDIENTS

250 g fresh shiitake mushroom, sliced into big bite size chunks - see notes for substitutes
1 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon neutral cooking oil
2 cloves garlic - thinly sliced
1 tablespoon cornstarch - mixed with 2 tablespoons water

The Sauce

8 1/2 ounces of water
1/4 vegetable or mushroom stock cube
2 tablespoon oyster sauce - or vegan option
1 teaspoon Shaoxing wine
1 teaspoon dark soy sauce
1 teaspoon light soy sauce
1 teaspoon sesame oil
1/2 teaspoon sugar

To Garnish

Sesame seeds
Chives or spring onions

INSTRUCTIONS

Mix together all the sauce ingredients and set aside.
Heat the oil in a wok or frying pan and add the garlic. Stir fry for 1 minute until softened.
Add the mushrooms and stir to coat with the garlic and oil.
Sauté for 1-2 minutes until just starting to brown.
Add the sauce to the pan and bring to a simmer. Let the mushrooms cook for 5-6 minutes.
When the mushrooms are juicy and tender add the cornstarch mix and stir well.
Simmer until the sauce becomes thick enough to cover your spatula, 1-2 minutes.
Serve with a sprinkle of sesame seeds and some finely chopped chives or spring onions.

Notes: Most Chinese recipes use the dried shiitake mushrooms, they give an even more intense flavour. For the best flavour be sure to soak the overnight in cold water or for an hour in hot water before using them. Oh and don’t throw out the soaking liquid, this will be used in the sauce (instead of the water in the ingredients list, you can then omit the stock cube).