Pak Choi and King Oyster Mushroom in Garlic Sauce

 

Ingredients
serves 2

2 Pak Choi, quartered lengthways
150g King Oyster Mushrooms
1 sheet seaweed (optional)
30g garlic, finely grated
20g ginger, finely grated
1 tbsp vegetarian Oyster sauce (such as Lee Kum Kee's Mushroom Sauce)
1 tsp dark soy
1 tsp sugar
1 tbsp cornflour
1 tbsp fresh coriander
1 tbsp groundnut oil
250ml Chinese 5 spiced veg stock

for the veg stock
1 spring green cabbage, shredded
1 star anise
1 cinnamon stick
1 tsp fennel seeds
1 tsp Sechuan peppercorn
light soy sauce, to taste
1 1/4 litre water

Method

Begin by preparing the veg stock, by adding all the stock ingredients into a large pan and bring to a boil. Reduce the temperature to a gentle simmer for 30 minutes. Add light soy sauce to your taste. Allow to cool then keep in 250ml portions. Freeze any stock you are not using.

Wash the king oyster mushroom thoroughly then cut the thick stalk into 1.5cm thick rounds. Thinly slice the mushroom tops, and put aside 

Put the mushroom stalk rounds into a saucepan, top up with some water, enough to cover when pushed under. Bring to a boil. Add the seaweed sheet and reduce to a simmer for 5-10 minutes, depending on the thickness. (If you rather not use seaweed then just use some of the stock)  The stalks should still be a little firm to the touch.

Remove from the heat, drain and set aside.

In a large wok/frying pan heat a tablespoon of groundnut oil on a medium to hot temperature. Add the garlic and ginger pastes, stir well and fry for a minute.

Add the stock, oyster sauce, soy sauce and sugar. Bring to a boil. 

In a small bowl add a few splashes of boiling water to the tablespoon of cornflour. Mix thoroughly then add to the garlic sauce. Stir in well. 

Add the quartered pak choi. Stir to coat in the sauce. Reduce the temperature slightly and place a lid on the wok.  Cook for 5 minutes or until the core of the pak choi is soft. Add a splash of water if the sauce becomes too thick.

In the meantime, in a small frying pan heat a teaspoon of oil on a high temperature and fry the stalks, flat surface down, until they begin to colour, then flip them over to colour the other side. 

Just before serving add the fried king oyster mushroom stalks and the chopped coriander to the pak choi and stir through.

Serve immediately.