Tasty Chicken Soup, Ginger and Shiitake Mushrooms Recipe

Chicken soup doesn't have to take hours to make. This is an easy, light chicken soup that is highly seasoned with shiitake mushrooms, and lightened up with fresh ginger and soy sauce.

The stock is extremely light, and comes simply from the cooking of the active ingredients for less than half an hour. However the combination of the ginger, chicken, mushrooms, soy sauce and a touch of salt and sugar is simply charming, and I highly suggest attempting this soup.

Chicken Soup, Ginger and Shiitake Mushrooms Recipe

Generally for this dish one would use bone-in chicken thighs hacked into big pieces with a cleaver, or with poultry shears. The bones help create taste and richness for the stock. You can use boneless chicken thighs if you choose. Or use bone-in, then get rid of the bones after the chicken has actually cooked, prior to serving.

Ingredients

• 1 ounce dried shiitake mushrooms (dried is much more effective to fresh in this recipe).
• 3 cups boiling water.
• 1 to 1 1/2 pounds chicken thighs, ideally bone-in, cut into portions.
• A 1-inch piece of fresh ginger, peeled and sliced really thin.
• 2 Tbsp soy sauce (use gluten-free soy sauce for gluten-free version).
• 2 teaspoons sugar.
• A pinch of salt.
• 1 teaspoon corn starch.

Method

Soak dried mushrooms: Soak the dried mushrooms in the hot water for 20 minutes. Use a bowl or a smaller pot to keep the mushrooms immersed in the water.

Marinate chicken: While the mushrooms are soaking, blend the soy, sugar, salt and corn starch in a large bowl. Make sure there are no corn starch swellings. Add the chicken and ginger to the bowl, toss to coat with the marinade, and set aside.

Slice mushrooms, add to chicken: When the mushrooms have softened, eliminate from the water (saving the soaking liquid) and slice thin. Add the mushrooms into the bowl with the chicken. If the soaking water has grit in it, pour the soaking water though a fine-meshed sieve lined with a paper towel into another bowl.

Cook chicken, mushrooms with mushroom soaking water: Put the chicken mushroom mixture, and the mushroom soaking liquid into a pot and bring to a boil. Lower the heat to a bare simmer, cover the pot and cook gently for 25 minutes. Serve hot.

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