Dried Shitake mushrooms give the best flavour for this recipe. I buy my dried mushrooms in little 14 gram / 1/2 ounce packages already sliced. If you buy them whole, use 4 dried mushrooms. Once soaked and squeezed, remove and discard the hard stem and thinly slice the caps before adding to the pot along with the vegetables. For fresh mushrooms, I bought a 170 gram / 1/3 pound package of "gourmet blend" mushrooms. The package included baby shitake, enoki, oyster, and chanterelle mushrooms. 1/3 to 1/2 pound of any mushrooms, even cremini, would be delicious.
Pre-cook the edamame according to the package instructions—either boiling on the stove or in the microwave. You can save time by cooking the edamame in the same pot and water as the pasta. Boil the edamame inside a stainless steel mesh strainer that fits inside your pasta pot. When the time is up, just lift the strainer out of the pot and rinse. Add the pasta right away while the water is still boiling. Cook the pasta for the minimum recommended time for best results.
I made this oil-free recipe in a stainless steel skillet with a lid without any problems with sticking or burning. Keep the temperature to medium or medium-low when there isn't a lot of liquid in the pan, and make sure to stir frequently. Add a splash or two of water if the pasta looks like it might be sticking and/or turn down the heat.
makes 4 servings
1 cup frozen edamame
454 grams/1 pound gluten-free brown rice spaghetti
14 grams / 1/2 ounce dried shitake mushrooms
1-1/2 cups boiling water
2 Tablespoons gluten-free tamari
1 Tablespoon rice vinegar
1 Tablespoon brown sugar
1/2 cup water or vegetable broth
4 green onions, sliced (save one for garnish)
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 cm / 1/2 inch ginger, minced
170 grams mixed mushrooms (or 6-8 cremini mushrooms)
1 yellow pepper, sliced into strips
398 ml/14 oz can cut baby corn
227 ml/8 oz can sliced water chestnuts
3 Shanghai bok choi, coarsely chopped
toasted sesame seeds and sliced green onion for garnish
Bring a large pot of water to a boil over medium-high heat. Add the edamame and boil for 4 minutes. Remove from the pot and run under cold water to stop cooking. Set aside. Add the pasta to the pot and cook according to package instructions. Do not over-cook. Drain and rinse off most of the surface starch in cold water.
To your health and happiness,
Beans and Rice