6 Dried Chinese black
-mushrooms
14 c Dried tree ear mushrooms
-(torn into 1/2 inch pieces)
1/2 lb Fresh lotus root
3 tb Peanut oil
1/2 ts Salt
2 qt Slices fresh ginger, crushed
2 Fresh garlic cloves, crushed
1 sm Onion, cut into
-1/4-inch-thick slices
8 Peeled water chestnuts,
-sliced
1/4 lb Snow peas, stems and
-strings removed
1/4 ts Sugar
Big pinch of white pepper
2 ts Soy sauce
1/4 c Chicken stock
1 ts Asian sesame oil
I belong to the school that feels that a meal isn't a meal unless
there's meat involved, but this looks like a satisfying vegetarian
dish. Use vegetable stock instead of chicken stock if you're adamant
about avoiding animal products.
The article says that for cooking purposes, lotus roots can be
treated as potatoes and talks about the Japanese using them in
tempura dishes and coming up with an "exotic potato chip". Sounds
good to me! In 2 separate bowls, cover dried black mushrooms and tree
ears with water until soft and pliable (about 30 minutes). Rinse and
squeeze out excess water from both mushrooms. Remove and discard
stems from black mushrooms; cut caps in half and set aside. Pinch
off and discard hard center from tree ears; tear large pieces in half
and set aside.
Rinse lotus root with cold water. Trim and discard both ends of the
bulb. With a vegetable peeler, peel the skin. Cut bulbs in half
length- wise. Lay flat and cut crosswise into 1/8-inch-thick slices;
set aside.
Plunge slices into acidulated water. Drain.
Over medium-high heat preheat wok until hot. Add oil and tilt wok to
coat sides. Add salt, ginger and garlic; stir-fry until fragrant.
Add onions; stir-fry for 15 seconds or until they begin to wilt. Add
black mushrooms, lotus root, tree ears, water chestnuts and snow
peas; stir-fry for about 2 minutes or until snow peas turn bright
green.
Sprinkle in the sugar, white pepper, and soy sauce; toss a few
seconds.
Splash the chicken stock against sides of hot wok and use to deglaze
sides. Cover, reduce to medium heat; cook for 30 seconds. Remove
cover, dribble in the sesame oil Serve hot.
