KUALA LUMPUR, Oct 15 — It can be hard to predict the weather, when the sun might shine or when the sky might weep. Even during the rainy season, timing the hour of a downpour can be a fruitless task.
We know it will rain, but when?
I think about this quite often when I try to remember I have to head out to get some takeaway meal for lunch or dinner. For when the rain comes, the roads will swell up with traffic and everyone seems to get on their food delivery apps at the same time.
No riders available at this moment due to high demand.
Or something to that effect. You have probably encountered a similar message.
Which is why now I try to consistently keep my pantry well stocked in the event inclement weather prevents me from going out or finding any food delivery person to come my way.
It’s almost a strange notion but yes, didn’t we all used to cook at home anyway? Three square meals a day.
The weekend is a good time to peruse the shelves in the kitchen and seek out ingredients that will come in handy at any time and stay viable for weeks or months at a time.
I am thinking of Chinese herbs such as dǎngshēn (codonopsis root) and dāngguī (Chinese angelica root) that keep well when properly sealed and left in the fridge. Granola bowl staples such as goji berries and red dates.
And possibly the most trusty of long-shelf-life ingredients — dried mushrooms!
My favourites include dried shiitake mushrooms and dried black/wood-ear fungus, both of which bloom back into their former glory if you soak them ahead of time in some water. Rehydrated, these umami-rich fungi become tender and even crunchy.
We can add some lighter notes with some clusters of fresh enoki or golden needle mushrooms, if we have these in the fridge. You can even freeze them by first breaking down the clusters into smaller strands; this way you’ll always have some enoki around when you need it.
What we will have, most certainly, is a bowlful of heady flavours to warm ourselves with during this rainy season and beyond.
HERBAL MUSHROOM NOODLE SOUP
I am no expert when it comes to Chinese herbs so my go-to strategy is to buy packets of mixed herbs. These typically come with herbs such as the aforementioned dǎngshēn and dāngguī, but also others such as snowy-white fúshén, Sichuan lovage, cordyceps and even ginseng.
Sometimes you will get red dates and goji berries in your mix too. I usually add some of these anyway, even if the mixed packet already has some. These scarlet staples add a natural sweetness that is deeper than fresh fruits and less intense than honey.
Rather than allow the Chinese flavours to solely dominate, I have elected to incorporate some Japanese influences in the form of miso paste and shirataki noodles.
There is always a tub of the former in my fridge and they just up the ante on the umami quotient here. As for the noodles, any dried egg noodles or rice noodles will work too but shirataki noodles, I find, are less likely to get soggy or expand too much from soaking up the broth.
Ingredients
1 packet of shirataki noodles
1 tablespoon of sesame oil
1.5 litres water
1 packet mixed Chinese herbs
4 red dates
A handful of goji berries
1-2 large pieces of old ginger, smashed
3-4 dried shiitake mushrooms (rehydrated earlier by soaking in water)
A handful of dried black/wood-ear fungus (rehydrated earlier by soaking in water)
1 heaping tablespoon of miso paste
1 tablespoon Shaoxing rice wine
2 tablespoons light soy sauce
Salt and white pepper powder, to taste
Fresh cilantro leaves, for garnishing
Method
Drain the packet of shirataki noodles of its packing liquid. Using a large sieve, continue rinsing the noodles under running water until there is no residue of the packing liquid.
To remove any remaining odour, you may choose to parboil the noodles: Prepare a pot of boiling water and cook the noodles in it for about 3 minutes before draining and drying on paper towels.
Finally pan-fry the dried noodles in a dry non-stick pan for about 5-8 minutes over a medium heat. Toss the noodles regularly using chopsticks or a pair of heat-proof tongs to prevent them from clumping together.
Once most of the moisture has been cooked away, transfer the noodles to a large serving bowl. Add the sesame oil and mix well. Cover with a lid or plate, and set aside.
Add water to a large pot and bring to a boil.
Once the water has reached a boil, add the mixed Chinese herbs, red dates, goji berries, ginger, rehydrated shiitake mushrooms and black fungus. Allow to come to a boil again before lowering the heat and simmering for half an hour.
After half an hour of simmering, add the seasoning — the miso paste, Shaoxing rice wine and light soy sauce. Continue to simmer for a few more minutes until the mushrooms are tender and the braising liquid has reduced and thickened.
A minute or so before serving, add the shirataki noodles to the soup to warm up the noodles. They don’t require more cooking than that. Check for taste and season with salt and white pepper powder before turning off the heat.
Serve in warm bowls and garnish with fresh cilantro leaves.
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