Quinoa And Mushroom Kama-meshi (japanese Casserole)

Total Time: 1 hr 5 mins Preparation Time: 20 mins Cook Time: 45 mins

Ingredients

• Servings: 4
• 1 1/2 cups quinoa
• 3 dried shiitake mushrooms
• 2 1/2 cups vegetable stock
• 1/2 cup dry sherry
• 3 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 large onion, minced
• 3 garlic cloves, crushed
• 2 tablespoons fresh ginger, grated
• 1 teaspoon nanami togarashi (japanese hot pepper powder)
• 1 (18 ounce) mixed fresh mushrooms, sliced (oyster, button, enoki, etc.)
• 1 bunch choy sum, trimmed
• 4 teaspoons japanese chili oil (rayu)

Recipe

• 1 soak the dried mushrooms in boiling water for 15 minutes.
• 2 rinse the quinoa. place the quinoa in a fine-mesh strainer, and rinse thoroughly with cool water. rub and swish the quinoa with your hand while rinsing, and rinse for at least 2 minutes under the running water. drain.
• 3 dry and toast quinoa in saucepan. heat a drizzle of olive oil in the saucepan over medium-high heat, and add the drained quinoa. cook, stirring, for about 1 minute, letting the water evaporate. remove to a large bowl.
• 4 strain the dried mushrooms, reserving 1/2 cup of the soaking liquid. discard the stalks and finely slice the caps.
• 5 in a small saucepan, heat the sherry and the stock. cover and keep at a low simmer.
• 6 heat the remaining olive oil in a large saucepan. saute the onion over medium high heat for 5 minutes, or until softened. add the garlic, ginger and nanami togarashi and cook for 1 minute.
• 7 increase the heat to high heat and add fresh mushrooms, reserving the enoki until later. cook for 5 minutes, until softened.
• 8 add the quinoa, dried mushrooms, reserved soaking liquid, and hot stock, stirring well. bring to a boil, then reduce heat, cover and simmer for 35 minutes, or until all the liquid is evaporated.
• 9 chop the coy sum and steam until just wilted, then add to the caserole along with the enoki mushrooms. stir in the rayu and serve.