Fried Donggu Mushrooms with Green Asparagus – Lu Xiang Gu

Ingredients for 4 servings:

• 4 large shiitake mushrooms, dried (Donggu mushrooms)
• 6 stalk(s) asparagus, green
• 2 thin ginger, sliced
• 2 tbsp sunflower oil
• 1 tbsp soy sauce, sweet
• 2 tbsp oyster sauce (SausTiram)
• 1 pinch(s) chicken broth (strong bouillon)
• 80 g water
• 1 tsp, leveled tapioca flour
• 2 tbsp rice wine (Arak Masak)
• 1 tsp sesame oil, light
• 20 g mung bean sprouts
• 1 carrot(s)
• n. B. flowers and leaves

Instructions

Working time approx. 15 minutes; Rest time approx. 20 minutes; Cooking/baking time approx. 10 minutes; Total time approx. 45 minutes

A delicious cold appetizer from Shandong Province and Beijing.

Soak the mushrooms in warm water for 10 minutes. Squeeze out the water, wash the mushrooms, and remove the stems. Then gently squeeze the water out of the mushrooms. Rinse the mung sprouts in a coarse sieve, shake dry, and line a serving dish with them. Wash the carrot, trim both ends, peel, and use a corrugated slicer to slice 8 pieces, approximately 3 mm thick, and blanch in boiling water for 3 minutes. Wash the fresh, green asparagus, trim about 2 cm off the bottom end, and peel from the bottom half. Halve the asparagus crosswise. Discard the skins and any remaining caps. Heat the sunflower oil in a wok, stir-fry the mushrooms, ginger slices, and asparagus over medium heat for 1 minute. Season with the soy sauce, oyster sauce, and chicken stock. Add the water and simmer with the lid on low heat for 3 minutes. Mix the tapioca flour with the rice wine and add it to the mushrooms. Stir in and bring to a boil briefly. Allow to cool, arrange on a serving plate, garnish, and serve at room temperature as an appetizer.