INTRODUCTION
It is because of this picture I posted last year that prompt me to share the recipe this year. This is vegan and uses no meat. The response of my post last year was very good . I told my members roughly how I did it, quite a few members tried it and happy with this way of cooking. Their justification is it is a nutritious and body cleansing dish.. When I told them very frankly that this dish was meatless, they told me it was okay as too much meat in each meal was not a healthy choice, therefore, and some vegetable meals will beneficial their bodies..
This is a free and easy recipe and nothing can go wrong with mushrooms. It is a mushrooms feast and just like last year, I will share how I did it and impossible to provide a detail recipe. Variations are many and what is the most important is the soup base. Last year I have used a soup package that have dangui (当归） but this year, since I cannot find the same soup package, I have settled in using that have these Chinese herbs.
To me whatever type of soup package is ok and the main purpose of using these herbal soup package is to make it a more elaborate dish suitable for bigger occasion. What I advised readers is to get the soup package that you are familiar with. Soup package for bakuteh (pork rib tea) or herbal chicken are excellent choices. You know how is the expected taste. Having said that, some mushrooms have strong aroma that may mask the herbal flavour. As in my illustration today, the mushroom aroma prevails.
Is it necessary to have these soup package? No, not at all.. As explained in the aforementioned paragraph, the soup package made it a more presentable dish. Since I am using vegetable to make the broth too, therefore, the sweetness will come from vegetables. You can also substitute it with package vegetable broth of your choice or just some seasoning will do. If you are non-vegetarian, there are much more choices and you can use any meat broth of your choice.
This recipe is suitable for steamboat or just like me, I prepared it as a soup to go with a meal. Tonight, it was a one pot dish and I prepared this mushroom hotpot to go with rice. I have used many types of mushrooms and some in the illustration are not added because the servings become huge and I am afraid that we cannot finish during the meal.
This is a relatively healthy dish with no oil being used. If you saw oil floating on the soup, it must be from the dried bean curd skin or tofu puffs. If your soup is not sweet enough, some additional mushroom seasonings or rock sugar and pinches of salt will make it a tasty soup.
WHAT IS REQUIRED
Servings: About 4-6 adults
Soup base
- A package of herbal soup of your choice *
- One small radish
- One small jicama
- 5 pieces of dried jujube or red dates
- 3 pieces of sweet dates
- 1 tablespoon of gojiberries (if it is not in the soup package)
- Pinches of salt
- Mushroom seasoning or other seasoning to taste (optional)
* Please select the herbal soup that you are familiar with. Recommended choices are ginseng chicken, bakuteh or herbal chicken ..
** Seasoning are optional as some herbal package is already sweetened
- Some sh*take mushrooms
- Some enoki mushrooms
- Some beech mushrooms
- Some monkey head mushrooms
- Some white button mushrooms
- Some oyster mushrooms
- Some canned button mushrooms
- Some deep fried bean curd sheets
- Some tofu puffs
- Some lettuces or your choice of vegetables
* No quantities are listed as these are full of variations and feel free to add or forgo the types and quantities of mushrooms.
STEPS OF PREPARATION
- Clean all the mushrooms and vegetables. Cut into your desired size .
- In a big pot, put some water, add the radish, jicama, red dates, sweet dates and herbal package. Bring to boil. Once it boils, reduce the heat to medium and let it simmer for at least 1/2 hour to let the flavour develop. If the water evaporate too fast, feel free to add more water.
- Once the soup base is done, throw away the herbal package. You can either set aside the jicama or radish or leave it there if your pot are big enough to accompany all your prepared mushrooms. Add all the ingredients (except the lettuce) and bring to boil. Add pinches of salt and seasoning if necessary. Off the heat and stir in the lettuces. Best served hot with white rice. An alternate way of serving is to prepare the soup and serve as a steamboat style.
CONCLUSION
Though the recipe is ultra simple, but please do not doubt the deliciousness of this dish. If you are a mushroom lover, I am sure you will like it. Of course, you can also add in meat slices, fish cakes etc. to suit your taste bud. What I am sharing is a concept and not really a recipe. .. You can always prepare your very own version. Remember to buy soup package that your are familiar with. If you are unable to get the soup package, you can always start with some vegetable or meat broth and start enjoying the healthy mushroom hot pot.
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