Food of the forest

6 Servings

Ingredients

QuantityIngredient
1cupDried black mushrooms
2tablespoonsCloud Ear mushrooms
½cupLily buds
¾cupChestnuts
½poundsAsparagus
2cupsBamboo shoots
2slicesFresh ginger root
3tablespoonsOil
3tablespoonsStock
1tablespoonSoy sauce
3tablespoonsOil
½teaspoonSalt
1teaspoonOil
1teaspoonSoy sauce
1teaspoonSugar

Directions

1. Separately soak dried black mushrooms, cloud ear mushrooms and lily buds.

2. Blanch and shell chestnuts. Cut soaked mushrooms in half if large.

3. Discard tough ends of asparagus; cut stalks in 1-½ inch sections. Cut bamboo shoots in matchstick-like strips; sliver ginger root.

4. Heat oil. Add ginger root and stir-fry a few times. Add black mushrooms and chestnuts; stir-fry 2 minutes. Add cloud ear mushrooms; stir-fry a few times to coat with oil.

5. Add stock and soy sauce; then cook, uncovered, 10 minutes over medium heat, stirring frequently. Remove ingredients from pan.

6. Heat the second quantity of oil. Add asparagus and bamboo shoots and stir-fry 2 to 3 minutes. Stir in salt; then remove vegetables from pan.

7. Heat remaining oil. Add lily buds; stir-fry 2 minutes. Then stir in remaining soy sauce.

8. Return mushrooms and chestnuts to pan and cook, covered, 5 minutes over medium heat, stirring occasionally.

9. Return asparagus and bamboo shoots. Sprinkle with sugar and stir-fry only to reheat. Serve at once.

NOTE: To keep the ingredients from drying out in step 5, add more stock as needed, 1 tablespoon at a time. From <The Thousand Recipe Chinese Cookbook>, ISBN 0-517-65870-4. Downloaded from Glen's MM Recipe Archive, .