Shiitake Mushroom Fried Rice

A mood boosting weeknight dinner recipe and my own take on the Shanghainese ‘菜飯’. #plant-based #gluten-free #nut-free #dairy-free

Serves 2 

Ingredients:

• 6 shiitake mushrooms*, sliced

• 1 tbsp neutral oil

• 2 Chinese sausages**, sliced at an angle (optional)

• 2 - 3 bunches of bok choy, chopped into bite sized pieces, seperate stem from leaves

• 3 cups cooked and cooled rice***

• 1/2 tsp minced fresh ginger

• 3 tsp toasted sesame oil

• 2 tsp toasted sesame seeds

Marinade:

• 1 tbsp oyster sauce****

• 1 tbsp Tamari / soy sauce

• 2 tsp toasted sesame oil

• A dash of white pepper

• 1 tbsp Shaoxing wine / sake / mirin / dry white wine (optional)

How to:

• Marinade the sliced mushrooms in the fridge for at least 1 hour.

• Heat your claypot (if you don’t own a claypot, like I do, just use an ordinary pot) over medium heat. Add neutral oil into the pot (if using Chinese sausage, use less oil and fry until fragrant) and cook the marinated mushrooms for 1 minute until the mushrooms begin to release some liquid.

• Add the stems of the vegetable and sauté for another minute. Add the rice, ginger and leaves ensuring to break up the rice to incorporate. Add sesame oil and fry until everything comes together. You can adjust your flavour here. I personally like to add more white pepper and soy sauce.

• Serve directly from the pot with a generous sprinkling of toasted sesame seeds.

Notes:

*You can use dried shiitake mushrooms (found in most Asian grocery stores). Soaked and rehydrated in room temperature water for at least 45 mins before removing excess liquid and slicing.

**You can also use 50g bacon / pancetta / guanciale, cut into bite sized pieces.

***Overnight / cooked & cooled rice is best for this recipe. Texture will be slightly soggy if using freshly cooked rice.

****Vegetarian oyster sauce can be found in most supermarket these days. Check the label to ensure it fits into your dietary requirement. If you can’t find oyster sauce / don’t like oyster sauce, just replace it with soy sauce, or even kicap manis (dark soy sauce).

Nutritional Facts:

Shiitake mushrooms contains as many of the same amino acids as meat, and are a great source of plant-based protein. They also boast polysaccharides, terpenoids, sterols, and lipids, some of which have immune-boosting, cholesterol lowering and anticancer effects. Shiitake mushrooms have long been used in traditional Chinese medicine to boost health and longevity, as well as improve circulation. Shiitake mushrooms are the natural plant source of vitamin D, and strengthens the immune system due to its polysaccharides. It is also antibacterial, antiviral, and anti-fungal. 

Bok Choy and other cruciferous vegetables have certain anti-cancer properties. It contains vitamin C, vitamin E, and beta-carotene, which contains powerful antioxidants to help protect cells against damage by free radicals. Unlike most other fruits and vegetables, bok choy contains the mineral selenium which improves immune response to infection by stimulating the production of T-cells that identify and kill invading bacteria and viruses. The iron, phosphorous, calcium, magnesium, zinc, and vitamin K in bok choy all contribute to building and maintaining bone structure and strength.

Ginger has a long history of use in various forms of traditional medicine. It has been used to help digestion, reduce nausea and help fight the flu and colds. Gingerol is the main bioactive compound in ginger, responsible for its medicinal properties. It has powerful anti-inflammatory and antioxidant effects. One of the traditional uses of ginger is for pain relief, including menstrual pain, and has been shown to reduce pain as effectively as the drugs mefenamic acid and ibuprofen. There is also some evidence that ginger can enhance brain function directly and protect against age-related decline in brain function such as Alzheimer’s Disease.