1 oz. dried black Chinese (or shitake) mushrooms
2 tbsp. vegetable oil
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
2 slices fresh ginger (each the size of a quarter)
20 medium fresh white mushrooms, wiped clean with a soft cloth and halved
10 medium fresh (or 1 can drained) abalone/oyster mushrooms
1 can straw mushrooms
3 tbsp. cornstarch
3 tsp. brown sugar
3 tbsp. oyster sauce
1 1/2 cups vegetable stock
1/2 star anise
1 tbsp. light soy sauce
Soak dried mushrooms in very warm water for 1 hour. Drain, squeeze out
excess water, trim and discard stems; set aside. Heat oil over medium-high heat in large pan; add ginger and garlic and stir-fry 30 seconds. Add all mushrooms and stir-fry 1-2 minutes. Combine cornstarch, brown sugar, oyster sauce and vegetable stock; add to mushrooms. Add _ star anise and bring to a boil. Simmer, covered, over low heat for 25 minutes. Remove from heat, remove ginger and star anise. Remove from heat, add soy sauce to taste and transfer to serving dish. Serve immediately.