If you haven’t noticed, I’ve been on quite the quest to make healthier Chinese food. Because I have a condition known as Multiple Chemical Sensitivities, I can’t have most Chinese food at restaurants due to the MSG, food colouring, etc. Here is a healthier version that will surely warm you up and clear your sinuses in this chilly, but beautiful cold weather.
Serves 4-6. Time: 45 minutes
Vegan , Gluten-Free
Ingredients:
• 10 cups water
• 4 cups shitake mushrooms, sliced thinly
• 14oz soft tofu, cubed
• 1 small can bamboo shoots (already sliced)
• 1/3 cup + 1 tbsp of red wine vinegar
• 2 tbsp garlic, minced
• 1 tsp sesame oil
• 3 tbsp arrowroot powder
• 3 tbsp water
• 2 tbsp tamari
• 1 tbsp chilli flakes
• Salt to taste
• ½ cup green onions, to sprinkle
- Boil the 10 cups of water. Add mushrooms. Lower heat to medium-high. Cook for 40 minutes to make the broth.
2. Add the ingredients from below as they are prepared.
3. Drain bamboo shoots, rinse, and soak in a bowl of water for about 15 minutes. Rinse and add to the broth.
4. Pan-fry garlic to a crispy brown colour. Throw the garlic into the broth.
5. Add the red wine vinegar, sesame oil, tamari, and chilli flakes
6. In a small bowl, mix the arrowroot powder with the 3 tbsp of water, with a fork. When it is smooth, slowly add the mixture to the broth.
7. Add the tofu and cook for 5 minutes.
8. Add the desired amount of salt. Remove from heat. Sprinkle with green onion and serve. Bon appetit:)
Notes:
• Add some enoki mushrooms too! (I forgot to get that and the green onion:()
• I always try to avoid corn, unless it’s non-GMO. I find that arrowroot powder is a healthier option than corn starch. You can decrease or increase the arrowroot slightly to make the soup thinner or thicker.
• When buying mushrooms, I always buy organic because they are porous and absorb a lot of pesticides and fungicides; their roots are also accumulators of heavy metals. When I use organic mushrooms, I cut up the stalk and use it in the recipe – it provides a chewy texture to the risotto. Yummy and waste nothing!
Lionheads 