CHILI MUSHROOM

Been missing a few days.

Oh!! I was just being a good wife and taking care of my husband who is nursing a sore throat and a high fever. A little pampering is what he needs along with a doctor's prescription. So I was giving him both.
Since my weekend chef husband is thus weakened I had to be the weekend (Chinese) chef and served my kids Olive fried rice with Chili Mushroom.
This one is the family and friends' favourite. We all had it the first time at a restaurant that serves great vegetarian chinese cuisine. I kept trying to get the right taste of this dish and after many-a-failed-attempt I now seem to have perfected it.
This one is especially for all my friends who are now studying at colleges far away from home.
Dried Shiitake mushrooms have more flavour and also have a higher protein content than fresh mushrooms and if grown outdoors they also have a high content of vitamin D as compared to ones grown indoors.
Dried Shiitake mushrooms can be reconstituted by soaking in water.

CHILI MUSHROOM
  This is a very quick dish. To make it faster I blanche, trim and cut the mushrooms whenever I find time and store them in the refrigerator in an airtight glass bottle and use them within two days.

Serves 4 persons.

Ingredients:

.Shiitake mushroom......................................250gm.

.Corn flour...................................................4 Tbsp.

.Salt.............................................................to taste
.Oil...............................................................for frying

.Oil...............................................................2 tsp.
.Garlic.........................................................1 clove, chopped finely
.Fresh red chili............................................1, finely chopped
.Green bell pepper.......................................1 medium-sized, cut into 1 inch dice

.Chinese celery.............................................3 sprigs, cut into 1 inch pieces

.Spring onion greens.....................................1/2 cup, cut into 1 inch pieces
.Light Soy sauce............................................5 Tbsp.
.White vinegar...............................................4 tsp.
.Honey...........................................................4 to 5 tsp.

.Black pepper................................................a twist or two of the pepper mill*

.Cashew nuts.................................................1/2 cup
.Dry red chili.................................................1/4th cup, cut into 1 inch pieces
.Boiling water................................................as required for deepwater blanching
.Salt................................................................2 Tbsp.

Chili Mushroom

Method:
.Rinse the mushrooms and blanche them for 3 to 4 minutes in a deep pan full of boiling water(a rolling
 boil is required)* along with 2 Tbsp salt.
.Drain and rinse with cold water.
.Pat dry on a clean kitchen towel.
.Cut the stems off as close to the cap as possible.
.Cut each mushroom into 3 large slices(lengthwise).
.Mix together in a large  bowl corn flour and salt.
.Toss in the cut slices of mushroom till well coated.
.Heat oil for frying.
.Deep fry the mushrooms till crisp and lightly coloured.
.Drain on a kitchen paper towel. Set aside.
.Deep fry the cashew nuts tll golden brown on medium heat.
.Drain on a kitchen paper towel. Set aside.

.Heat 2 tsp. oil in a wok.
.Add the garlic and fresh red chili and saute for 30 seconds.
.Add the dry red chili and saute for 30 seconds or till lightly coloured and fragrant.
.Add the soy sauce, vinegar, honey, black pepper* and salt to taste(if required)*.
.Add the fried mushrooms, mix well and cook for 5 minutes.
.Add the cashew nuts, reserving 6 for garnish.
.Add the bell peppers and cook further for 2 to 3 minutes.
.Add the spring onion greens, chinese celery and coriander leaves, reserving some for garnishing.
.Mix well. Serve hot garnished with the reserved cashew nuts, and all the greens.
.Enjoy with Blushed Fried Rice or Olive rice.

Note:
*Blanche vegetables in deep rolling boiling water so that the water comes back to a rolling boil quickly after the addition of the vegetable, and the vegetable does not overcook while blanching.
* When using soy sauce add additional salt if required. You may need a small pinch.
*I prefer black pepper to white pepper in this dish. But you can try it with white pepper if you like.