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WILD MUSHROOM SOUP

Fresh and Fast Vegan
by Amanda Grant

I tend not to use a lot of tofu in my vegan cooking, but this soup is perfect for it. The flavors from the mushrooms and harissa soak into the cubes of bean curd, adding texture and flavor to the finished dish. You can replace the vegetable stock with the same quantity of stock made with Swiss vegetable vegan bouillon powder. If you can find toasted sesame oil, use it instead of the plain version when you serve the soup. (Harissa is available in Middle Eastern grocery stores.)
Preparation time: 15 minutes
Cooking time: 10 minutes
Serves 4

INGREDIENTS

• 3 cups (8 ozs.) fresh oyster mushrooms
• 2 cups (5½ ozs.) shiitake mushrooms
• 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
• 2 garlic cloves, crushed
• 2 inch piece of fresh ginger, peeled and grated
• 3/4 cup (7 ozs.) canned straw mushrooms, drained
• 2 tablespoons sake
• 3 cups (1½ pints) vegetable stock
• 2 tablespoons corn flour
• 2 tablespoons warm water
• 1 cup (4½ ozs.) firm tofu, diced
• sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

to serve
• 2 tablespoons sesame oil
• 3 tablespoons sesame seeds

DIRECTIONS

Remove and discard the stalks of the oyster and shiitake mushrooms. Slice each mushroom in half.

Heat the oil in a large saucepan. Add the garlic, ginger, sliced mushrooms and straw mushrooms. Saute over moderate heat for 5 minutes, or until the garlic and ginger are softened. Add the sake and stock, and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to a simmer.

In a small bowl, mix the corn flour with 2 tablespoons warm water to form a smooth paste. Stir the paste into the soup. Continue stirring; the soup will thicken quite quickly. When the soup has thickened, add the tofu, and season to taste with salt and pepper.

Divide the soup among four warm bowls. Drizzle a little sesame oil over each serving, and scatter a few sesame seeds on top. Serve.

NUTRITION
each serving contains: Calories 205 • Protein 8g • Fat 15g (saturated 2g) • Carbohydrates 8g • Fiber 2g • Calories from fat 69%