Lion's Mane Soup 猴头菇汤

Lion's mane is the mushroom that eats like something braised for hours, all shag and tenderness. In a clear winter soup it gives you the comfort of a meat broth with nothing but vegetables in the pot. Corn and carrot sweeten the broth, cashews and peanuts give it body, and red dates and goji finish it.

Serves 3 to 4.

Ingredients

• 2 ounces dried lion's mane (猴头菇)
• 8 button mushrooms, halved
• 1 ear of corn, cut into 4 pieces
• 2 carrots, cut into chunks
• 1/2 cup raw cashews and peanuts together
• 4 red dates
• 3 slices of ginger
• 1 small handful of goji berries
• 8 cups water
• 1 teaspoon salt, or to taste

Steps

1. Soak the dried lion's mane in warm water for 30 to 60 minutes, until fully soft. Dried lion's mane carries bitterness in its soaking water, so squeeze the water out and soak it again in fresh water, squeezing and changing the water a few times until it runs mostly clear. Trim off the tough base where the mushroom was attached, tear the mushroom into chunks, and discard the soaking water. Soak the cashews, peanuts and red dates in warm water for 30 minutes.
2. Put everything except the goji berries and salt into a pot with the water. Bring to a boil, then turn the heat low and simmer 1 hour, partly covered.
3. Add the goji berries and salt in the last 5 minutes. Taste for salt and serve hot, with a little of everything in each bowl.