I found some jelly ear mushrooms while out walking, and wild mushrooms don’t last long once they’re picked. So I created this soup from whatever I had in the cupboards and fridge.

It had a lovely comforting taste, and the smell was amazing! The jelly ear mushrooms did not have much of a taste but did have a great crunchy texture. I added dried shitake mushrooms to increase the mushroom flavour.

Ingredients

  • Foraged jelly ear mushrooms (or use shitake or other mushrooms)
  • Handful of dried shitake mushrooms
  • Thumb sized piece of ginger, chopped
  • 2 spring onions, thinly sliced
  • Butter
  • Sesame oil
  • Tblsp dark soy sauce
  • Tblsp cider vinegar (or use rice wine vinegar if you have it)
  • 300 ml vegetable stock (preferably asian stock)
  • Juice of quarter of a lemon (or lime)
  • Pak choi, sliced (or other vegetables – try broccoli, kale, green beans)
  • Small red chilli, chopped

Method

  • Fry the ginger and half of the spring onion in some butter and/or sesame oil.
  • Add the stock, soy sauce, vinegar and dried mushrooms.
  • Bring to the boil and simmer for 25 mins.
  • Add the pak choi or other vegetables. You could add cubed tofu at this point.
  • Simmer for a further 5 mins.
  • Add a squeeze of lemon or lime.
  • Serve with sprinkling of spring onions and chopped chilli.