Chinese Braised Mushrooms
Chinese braised mushrooms are commonly served at lunar new year. It is a traditional dish that you will also find at your Chinese restaurant for weddings or special events. Make this restaurant quality dish right at home!
Equipment
- Cutting board
- Knife
- Medium bowl
- Measuring spoons
- Pot
Ingredients
- 25 dried shiitake mushrooms medium size, soaked overnight
- 10 baby bok choy
- 1 tsp salt
- 2 tbsp oil divided
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 1 tbsp Shaoxing wine
- ½ cup reserved mushroom liquid
- ½ cup water
- 1½ tbsp light soy sauce
- 1 tbsp oyster sauce
- ¼ tsp dark soy sauce
- 1½ tsp sugar
- 1 tsp sesame oil
- 2 tsp cornstarch mixed with 1 tbsp water
Instructions
- Reconstitute the dried shiitake mushrooms by soaking them overnight with room temperature water. When the mushrooms are done soaking, squeeze excess water out and cut off stems. Set mushroom liquid aside.
- Slice the bottom of the bok choy stem off and cut lengthwise in half. Gently agitate the bok choy in a bowl of water to remove any dirt or sand. Bring a pot of water to a boil with 1 tsp salt and 1 tbsp oil. Blanch the bok choy until it turns bright green, about 40 seconds. You might need to do this in batches. Arrange them in a circle on a plate.
- In a pot or wok over medium heat, saute garlic and mushrooms with oil until fragrant, about 20 seconds. Stir in Shaoxing wine and let alcohol cook for a minute.
- Add reserved mushroom liquid, water, dark soy sauce, light soy sauce, oyster sauce and sugar. Lower heat and simmer uncovered for 5 minutes until mushrooms are tender and have absorbed the flavours. Add sesame oil.
- Thicken the sauce with a slurry of starch and water. Taste and adjust flavours as needed. Put in the center of the bok choy circle. Enjoy!
Notes
Make it vegan or vegetarian! Switch out the regular oyster sauce with vegetarian oyster sauce.
Only skim the top of the mushroom liquid to avoid sediment from the mushrooms. You don't want to bite into sand.
Did you make this? Tag @cookwith.chopsticks and #cookwithchopsticks on IG or leave a comment on the blog!