Mushroom Platter Delight

Vegetables, also Vegetarian Foods

Mushroom Platter Delight
Ingredients:
1 ounce dried black tree ear fungi, rinsed well
1 ounce dried white tree ear fungi, rinsed well
1 ounce dried shiitake mushrooms, soaked in warm water
1 ounce dried bamboo mushrooms
1 cup vegetarian stock
1 ounce fresh straw mushrooms
1 ounce canned gluten, rinsed with boiling water
1 ounce dried Chinese hawthorn or wolfberries
2 Tablespoons thin or mushroom soy sauce
1 Tablespoon Chinese rice wine
2 Tablespoons cornstarch
2 Tablespoons water chestnut flour
Preparation:
1. In separate pots, add boiling water to the tree fungi, return to the boil, cover and remove from the heat. Let stand at least half an hour, rinse each well, and cut away the thick stem-like parts. They can then be diced, if desired.
2. After the shiitake mushrooms have soaked for at least twenty minutes, strain their liquid into the pot, discard the sandy remainder, and put the mushrooms in the soup pot; dicing them is optional.
3. Pour boiling water over the bamboo mushrooms, drain well, rinse with cold water, cut into one inch pieces, and set aside. Do likewise with the gluten, which can be cut into simmer pieces if desired.
4. Bring the stock to the boil, pour over the shiitake mushrooms, then add the bamboo mushrooms and the gluten, also the berries, soy sauce and wine and bring this back to the boil.
5. Mix corn starch and water chestnut flour with one-quarter cup of cold water. Add it and the tree ears, bamboos mushroom and gluten pieces and stir until thick and clear, then serve on a somewhat flat platter with sloping sides.

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