Dried Shitake Mushrooms. 500gm.

Dried shiitake mushrooms (干香菇, gan xiang gu) are made from smoked fresh shiitake mushrooms, and they have an intense smoky flavor and a meaty texture.

Dried shiitake mushrooms are one of the most important ingredients in Chinese cooking, and are widely used in stews, soups, braised dishes, and stir fried dishes.

They have a very concentrated flavor and most of the time cannot be replaced by fresh shiitake mushrooms.

How to prepare dried shiitake mushrooms:

• Cover the mushrooms in boiling water.
• Cover with plastic wrap to stop heat escaping.
• Soak for 20 minutes.
• The mushrooms should almost double in size.
• Drain and strain the liquid and use in stocks and soups.
• Discard the stems or keep them for making stock– they’re too tough to eat.
• Slice the mushrooms and add to stir-fries, soups and curries.