Clear Mushroom Soup

Ingredients

• 3 dried shitake mushrooms
• 8-10 button mushrooms, sliced
• 1 medium carrot, peeled and cut into ½ cm pieces
• ½ medium onion, quartered
• 1 inch celery, cut into ½ cm pieces
• 10-12 black peppercorns
• 1 bay leaf
• 2 teaspoons olive oil
• 1 tablespoon chopped garlic
• 2-3 spring onion bulbs, chopped
• Salt to taste
• Crushed black peppercorns to taste + for garnish
• 2-3 tablespoons chopped spring onion greens + for garnish

Method

1. Heat a deep non-stick pan, add shitake mushrooms, carrot, onion, celery, 2 cups water, 3-4 button mushrooms, black peppercorns and bay leaf, and let the mixture to come to a boil. Reduce heat and cook for 15 minutes.
2. Strain the mixture through a fine strainer. Chop the shitake mushrooms.
3. Heat olive oil in a non-stick wok, add garlic, mix and sauté till golden brown.
4. Add spring onion bulbs, mix and sauté for 1 minute. Add chopped shitake mushrooms, remaining button mushrooms, salt, black peppercorns and sauté for 1 minute.
5. Add the prepared stock. Adjust seasonings and mix well.
6. Once the mixture comes to a boil, add spring onion greens and mix well.
7. Transfer into a serving bowl, garnish with spring onion greens and crushed black peppercorns and serve hot.