My Chinese mushroom noodle soup recipes features rice noodles accompanied by white beech mushrooms (also called Shimeji mushrooms), onion, and okra. Rice vermicelli are the thin rice noodles used in familiar dishes such as Singapore noodles. The white beech mushrooms and okra make Chinese mushroom noodle soup more flavorful and nutritious. The mushrooms also add a contrasting slightly crunchy texture. I don't use too much seasoning: I like to let the soup keep its natural flavor. Shimeji or white beech mushrooms are so called because they typically grow on the logs of downed beech trees. If you can't get the white beech mushrooms in the recipe, you can substitute button mushrooms (also called “common” mushrooms) instead.
Prepare the ingredients. Wash them clean. Place the mushrooms in a bowl of cold water and swish them around to remove any dirt. Discard the water.
Soak the dried rice vermicelli in cold water for 20-30 minutes to soften.
20 g dried rice vermicelli
Slice the garlic cloves and red onion. Chop the cilantro and green onions and mix them together. Remove the head and tail of the okra and slice them. Cut the long mushrooms into 2-3 pieces. Place a saucepan or kettle with 500 ml on high heat, bring to a boil, and let cool slightly.
Add 15ml of cold oil into the wok. Add the garlic and onion. Fry over medium heat until fragrant. When slightly yellow, remove the garlic and onion, but keep the oil in the wok.
50 g red onion, 15 ml cooking oil, 2 cloves garlic
Add the mushrooms, 1ml salt and 5ml soy sauce. Use medium-low heat and stir-fry for 2 minutes to cook evenly.
100 g white beech mushrooms, 4 ml salt, divided, 5 ml light soy sauce
Pour the 500 ml of near-boiling (90-100 C / 194-212 F) water over the mushrooms.
500 ml hot water
Bring the water back to a boil, then removed the noodles from their soaking water and add the rice vermicelli and okra to the wok. Season with 3ml salt and 2ml white pepper or to taste.
20 g dried rice vermicelli, 2 okra pods, 2 ml white pepper, 4 ml salt, divided
Return the water to a boil, turn off the heat, add 5ml sesame oil, stir well, and pour into a bowl. Sprinkle with chopped green onions and cilantro and serve.
5 g cilantro, 1 scallion, 5 ml toasted sesame oil
Notes
You don't need to cook the vermicelli for too long after it's been soaked. Bring the water in the wok back to a boil before adding the rice noodles, then remove from heat as soon as the water returns to a boil.
If you don't have much time to soak the vermicelli, you can use warm water, which can save some time.