Jai Vegetarian Winter Stew

For a healthy and hearty New Year dish, Jai blends dried and fresh veggies with bean paste. Anyone can make this today using ingredients found in Asian groceries.
Broth:

• Ginger root (crushed & chopped 5 in.)
• 3/4 cup sugar
• 8 oz. mashed red bean paste (nam yau)
• 6 oz. mashed yellow bean paste (tau hu mui)
• 1 dried squid, washed and soaked
• 12 whole star anise, mashed
• 1 1/2 cup oyster sauce
• 2 quarts water (may use chicken broth or hondashi

Ingredients:

• 3 Tbsp. oil
• 1/2 lb. black mushrooms, wash and parboil
• 1/4 lb. black fungus, wash and parboil
• 1/2 lb. dried yellow bean curd (foo jook), wash and parboil
• 1/2 lb. golden lily flower, wash and parboil
• 1/4 lb. dried oysters (hau see), wash and parboil
• 1/4 lb. dry bamboo shoot (sun ha), sliced, wash and parboil
• 1/2 lb. oil tofu in cubes
• 1 can bamboo shoots, sliced
• 1 lb. long rice, soak and parboil
• 1 pkg black moss (fatt choy) add oil to loosen and parboil
• 1 large celery or Napa cabbage (won bok), cut up

Directions:

Heat 3 Tbsp. of oil in a 6-quart pot. Brown ginger, add all broth items in order listed, stir fry 3 to 4 minutes, then add liquid and bring to a boil; adjust seasoning.

Pre-wash ingredients and parboil all but canned bamboo shoots. Add all but the last three ingredients. Bring to boil; simmer 30 minutes. Add last three ingredients. Stir well and cook 30 more minutes. Serve with white or brown rice.

Popo’s Kitchen available from the author: 808-734-1063 or Amazon.com