Braised Shiitake Mushrooms

Attention, mushroom lovers and the shiitake-obsessed! I’ve got the perfect hearty meatless main dish for you using just simple and earthy ingredients. Fork-tender and juicy braised shiitake mushrooms are the stars here, paired with subtly sweet and delightfully crunchy baby bok choy. 

This umami-packed dish has a yin-yang perfect balance of both taste and texture, making it a treat for almost any palate. The best part? This dish is super easy to whip up, even on busy weeknights, and for time-strapped moms like me who are trying to conquer a culinary world. 

The Significance of Braised Shiitakes

This dish holds a special place in Asian cuisine and in my modern Asian kitchen; you'll find variants of it served during significant events like Lunar New Year, Mid-Autumn Festival, and birthday celebrations. 

In Chinese culture, shiitake mushrooms are symbols of longevity and vitality (and occasionally virility, but let's keep things family-friendly), while bok choy signifies fortune and prosperity. Paired together, and sometimes with the addition of dried oysters or abalone, dried scallops, and fat choy (black moss), the result is a dish as delicious as it is auspicious.

Shiitake Mushrooms in Chinese Cooking

How To Make and Serve Braised Shiitakes

For meatless nights at home, this is usually the centerpiece for my family's meal, complemented and tempered by hot steamed rice, with a side of chili crisp oil. Preparing the sauce is a breeze — mix all the ingredients, stir fry the mushrooms and aromatics until the mushrooms turn lightly golden. Then you just pour in the sauce, cover with a lid, and let the heat and sauce work their braising magic. 

Blanching bok choy takes only a few minutes, and that can be done right before you dish up the soft and juicy mushrooms. Finally, don’t discard the slices of ginger; they’ll be a little sweet, savory, and surprisingly delicious. Before we dive into the recipe, here's a little culinary humor to wrap things up: why do mushrooms always get party invites? Because they're such "fungis!” 

With this dish up your sleeve, you'll surely be the “fungi” of any potluck or dinner party.

Tips for Making Braised Shiitakes

• Save time with fresh shiitakes—To save time, purchase fresh shiitake mushrooms that are firm, plump, and blemish-free, as dry shiitake mushrooms require at least thirty minutes of soaking in water to get rehydrated.
• How to substitute dried shiitakes—Rehydrate 4 ounces dried shiitake mushrooms in hot water to cover. Use a plate to keep them submerged until soft, about 30 minutes. Remove any stems and lightly squeeze the mushrooms to remove excess water (you want the mushrooms to soak up the braising liquid). You can use the mushroom soaking liquid instead of hot water in the braising sauce.
• How to choose bok choy—When buying baby bok choy, look for vibrantly verdant and unwilty leaves, and crisp stems. When stored properly, they stay fresh for up to a week in the refrigerator.
• Use a dash of MSG—I highly recommend you have MSG in your pantry. A dash here and there in your savory dishes, like this one, will make your tastebuds sing. 
• Use dark and light soy sauce—Dark and light soy sauces provide balance in this dish and enhance the flavor. Dark soy sauce adds color, depth, and a sweet caramelized taste, while light soy sauce contributes a savory, umami element, resulting in a well-rounded and delicious dish, fun guys approved.
• How to use rock sugar— If you have rock sugar, use that instead of the brown or granulated sugar. Use about two tablespoons and simply add it in chunks to the sauce. It will dissolve.