Shiitake Mushroom Broth (Vegan Dashi)

Inspiration

I am going to be really vulnerable with you guys, in a way that I find sorely lacking in blogs today. This month, my husband and I are on a diet.

Being a professional food blogger and photographer means there is always food, good food, and lots of it, around our house. And when you try to subscribe to a no-waste lifestyle (using vegetable ends and less-than-perfect veggies, for example), this means that most of that food ends up in our bellies.

I am going to be really vulnerable with you guys, in a way that I find sorely lacking in blogs today. This month, my husband and I are on a diet.

Being a professional food blogger and photographer means there is always food, good food, and lots of it, around our house. And when you try to subscribe to a no-waste lifestyle (using vegetable ends and less-than-perfect veggies, for example), this means that most of that food ends up in our bellies.

So two weeks ago, F and I decided to take action. I already practice intermittent fasting, which sees me eschewing breakfast in the mornings in favor of a nice latte. But now, we also subbed our dinner with a liquid option.

Some days, our light-liquid dinner is a smoothie packed with protein. On other days, when I need more comfort, it's my grandmother's chicken soup. But on most days, we have ourselves a bowl of this shiitake mushroom soup or miso soup with a few pieces of floating tofu.

And let me tell you, my friends — this soup already helped me lose 3 kilograms in 2 weeks.

What are shiitake mushrooms?

Native to East Asia, the shiitake mushroom is known for its earthy flavour and rich texture. Loaded with immunity-boosting vitamin B5 and copper, this edible mushroom can help fight cancer and support heart health. It's no wonder it is a popular meat substitution ingredient in vegan and vegetarian cookbooks.

You can find fresh shiitake mushrooms in your grocery store. Most Asian stores stock them regularly. But my favourite way to source shiitake mushrooms is to buy them dried in bulk, on Amazon and in Costco.

What is dashi?

Dashi (or dashi stock) is a savoury Japanese stock base used to make miso soup and noodle soups. It is an essential part of Japanese cooking, incredibly simple yet providing the famous umami taste found in many of its foods. 

There are many types of dashi in the stock family: kombu, katsuo, awase... the list goes on. However today we are focusing on shiitake, which is a popular choice for vegans. 

Shiitake dashi can also be combined with kombu seaweed for an unbeatable umami flavour you experience in many Japanese dishes. However, for today's recipe, we will keep it simple and focus on enriching the stock with herbs and spices. This keeps it extremely adaptable, allowing it to be used as a base for a multitude of meals.

Ingredients

• Fresh shiitake mushrooms: The main ingredient of this veggie dashi.
• Onion and green onions: For flavour and garnishing.
• Garlic cloves: For flavour.
• Lemon peel: Bringing aromatic flavour to the recipe.
• Water or vegetable broth: The liquid base for our stock.
• Herbs and spices: Parsley, bay leaves, black pepper.

See recipe card for detailed quantities

Prepare onions, garlic, and mushrooms:

Firstly, slice your fresh mushrooms, chop your onion and smash your garlic. If using dried shiitake mushrooms, soak them in hot water for 30 minutes before cooking to rehydrate. Reserve soaking liquid and use it as part of the liquid base for the mushroom soup.

Cook Ingredients

Then, combine all the ingredients except for the green onions in a large stock pot. (These will be added later.) Bring the mix to a boil over high heat.

Once boiling, reduce the heat to low, cover the ingredients, and simmer until cooked.

After cooking:

Strain the dashi through a fine mesh strainer, pressing on solids to extract maximum flavor. Then, discard the solids.

Next, stir in the sliced green onions and your dashi is now ready. Serve hot.

Storage

The best way to store leftover mushroom dashi is by freezing the stock in ice cube trays. Once frozen, transfer the cubes to a freezer-safe bag or container. This method makes the broth fresh for up to 6 months.

For shorter-term storage, keep shiitake mushroom stock in an airtight jar in the fridge. Allow the broth to cool before sealing the jar. Properly stored, it will last for 4-5 days.

Accompanying Dishes

The classic way to serve dashi is in miso soup. For this preparation, add kombu to the soup. Finish it off with some semi-soft tofu and sliced green onions.

I like to accompany this soup with other Asian-inspired dishes, like my seared tofu with mango kiwi salsa. Air-fried tofu also makes for a delicious accompaniment. For an appetizer, try these vegan spring rolls.