Braised shiitake mushrooms & pak choi

Method

• step 1

  Tip the mushrooms into a bowl and pour over boiling water to submerge them (around 350ml should be enough). Cover, then set aside for 1 hr until rehydrated.

• step 2

  Thoroughly wash, cut and quarter the pak choi, then set aside. Drain the mushrooms, reserving 300ml of the water, then cut off the stems and evenly slice the stems and mushroom caps into strips.

• step 3

  Heat 1½ tsp of the vegetable oil in a large frying pan over a medium heat. Fry the ginger and garlic for 1-2 mins until softened, then add the mushroom pieces and cook on a medium-high heat for 1 min. Stir in the shaosing wine, then remove from the heat and set aside.

• step 4

  Combine the reserved mushroom water with 200ml cold water, tip into a saucepan and bring to the boil over a high heat, then add the mushroom mixture. Tip in the light soy sauce, dark soy sauce, sugar and oyster sauce and mix well. Reduce the heat to medium-low and braise for 15-20 mins until it reduces a little.

• step 5

  Bring a pan of salted water to the boil over a high heat, add the remaining 1 tsp vegetable oil, then add the pak choi. Cook for 5-8 mins on a medium heat until the core is tender, then drain. Put the pak choi with the green leaves facing the middle until it forms a flower shape. Lay the braised mushrooms on top and drizzle the mushroom sauce over the mushrooms and pak choi.