HEARTY MUSHROOM SOUP WITH ASIAN FLAVOURS

SERVES 4

I use wild mushrooms for this recipe but any firm cultivated mushrooms will do just as well. It tastes warm rather than hot in terms of spiciness and has a deep, earthy savouriness. Shittake mushrooms are especially good in this soup.

INGREDIENTS

OLIVE OIL 1 MEDIUM ONION, SKINNED AND CHOPPED 3 FAY CLOVES OF GARLIC, SKINNED AND CHOPPED 400G MUSHROOMS 50G GINGER, PEELED AND CHOPPED 1 RED CHILLI 1 LITRE WATER OR CHICKEN STOCK 1 TBSP BROWN MISO 4TBSP SOYA SAUCE SALT 3 SCALLIONS, FINELY SLICED HALF A LIME ROASTED SESAME OIL

Heat some olive oil in a saucepan and add the onion and the garlic. Cook gently until they soften but don’t let them colour. Chop the mushrooms and add to the saucepan, turn up the heat and stir frequently. Wild mushrooms will release a lot of liquid, cultivated ones a lot less. In any case, cook the mushrooms until all the liquid has evaporated and they start to colour a little.

Add the ginger and the chilli, sliced and, if you want to keep the spiciness down, with the seeds removed. Add the water or stock and bring to the boil. Reduce to a simmer and stir in the miso and add the soya sauce. Check for seasoning and add salt if needed.

Take off the heat and squeeze juice of the half lime in, followed by the scallions and a splash or two of sesame oil. Serve right away in large bowls.