Name: Tony Tan’s Yunnan-style braised mushrooms with chillies and Sichuan pepper (Dun xiang gu)
Prep time: 30 min
Cook time: 20 min
Total time: 50 min
Yield: 8
Ingredients: 50 gm dried matsutake, soaked in 500ml hot water for 20 minutes (1 cup); 2 tbsp canola oil; 2 garlic cloves, finely chopped; 2 spring onions, thinly sliced; 1 tbsp shredded ginger; 4-5 dried long red chillies, seeds removed, thinly sliced; 1 tsp Sichuan peppercorns, crushed; 400 gm king oyster mushrooms, stems trimmed, cut into bite-sized pieces; 100 gm fresh shiitake mushrooms, stems discarded; 2 dried woodear mushrooms, soaked in hot water for 20 minutes, drained, sliced; 125 ml clear rice wine (see note); 500 ml chicken or vegetable stock (2 cups); 2 tbsp light soy sauce; 200 gm enoki, stems trimmed; 1 tsp chilli oil, or to taste

Tony Tan’s Yunnan-style braised mushrooms with chillies and Sichuan pepper (Dun xiang gu)

A deeply comforting vegetarian dish.

Serves 8

Prep

30M

Cook

20M

Total

50M

“This moreish dish of lightly spiced mushroom can be prepared in advance and it’s delicious served at room temperature. I found some aromatic dried Chinese matsutake at my Asian grocer and added these – they’re spicy and meaty on the nose – but you can use any variety you like.”

Ingredients

50 gm dried matsutake, soaked in 500ml hot water for 20 minutes (1 cup)

2 tbsp canola oil

2 garlic cloves, finely chopped

2 spring onions, thinly sliced

1 tbsp shredded ginger

4-5 dried long red chillies, seeds removed, thinly sliced

1 tsp Sichuan peppercorns, crushed

400 gm king oyster mushrooms, stems trimmed, cut into bite-sized pieces

100 gm fresh shiitake mushrooms, stems discarded

2 dried woodear mushrooms, soaked in hot water for 20 minutes, drained, sliced

125 ml clear rice wine (see note)

500 ml chicken or vegetable stock (2 cups)

2 tbsp light soy sauce

200 gm enoki, stems trimmed

1 tsp chilli oil, or to taste

Method

1.Strain matsutake soaking water into a bowl and set aside. Trim matsutake stems, squeeze dry and set aside.

2.Heat oil in a wok over medium-high heat, add garlic, spring onion and ginger and stir-fry for 10 seconds. Add chilli and Sichuan peppercorns and stir-fry until fragrant, taking care not to burn them (5-10 seconds). Add king oyster and shiitake mushrooms, stir-fry for 30 seconds, then add wood ear and matsutake mushrooms.

3.Increase heat to high, add rice wine and stir-fry until rice wine is absorbed. Add chicken stock, soy and reserved matsutake water, bring to boil, reduce heat to medium and stir occasionally until sauce is syrupy (10-15 minutes). Add enoki mushrooms and cook until just tender (2 minutes). Stir in chilli oil and serve hot.

Note Look for the rice wine known as michiu, or bai mi jiu, which contains 20 per cent alcohol. It’s available from select liquor shops; you could substitute sake.
Drink Suggestion: Barrel-aged sake. Drink suggestion by Max Allen
Notes