Ingredients
Equipment
Method
- Check each mushroom individually before preparation. Remove and discard the tough stems. Clean the caps, remove the cap skin where practical and cut larger caps into bite-sized pieces. Weigh out 150 g prepared caps.
- Put the water or low-salt stock into a saucepan with the optional ginger and the white part of the spring onion. Bring to the boil.
- Add the mushroom caps, return to a simmer and cook gently for 15 minutes, partially covered, until thoroughly cooked and tender.
- If using tofu, add it carefully and simmer gently for a further 3 minutes, or until hot throughout. Avoid vigorous stirring, which can break up silken tofu.
- Remove the pan from the heat. Put the miso into a small bowl and mix with a ladleful of hot broth until smooth. Stir this mixture back into the soup.
- Taste before adding any soy sauce. Add a little if needed, then divide between two bowls and finish with the green part of the spring onion. Serve hot.
Notes
Identification: Use only confidently identified velvet shank (Flammulina velutipes). Poisonous lookalikes include funeral bell (Galerina marginata). Do not rely on cap colour, season, a missing ring or a photograph alone. If uncertain, do not eat the mushrooms.
Preparation: Use the caps and discard the tough, fibrous stems. The ingredient weight refers to cleaned, prepared caps. Never add raw mushroom caps as a garnish.
Cooking: Cook the mushrooms thoroughly before adding the miso. The simmering time is a cooking instruction, not a way to make unidentified or poisonous mushrooms edible.
Miso: White miso gives a milder starting point. Red miso can be stronger and saltier; start with less and adjust to taste. Mixing miso with a little broth first prevents lumps.
Salt: Miso, stock and soy sauce all contribute salt. Use water or low-salt stock and taste before adding the optional soy sauce.
Tofu: Optional. Silken tofu is delicate, so lower it gently into the soup and heat through before adding the miso. Firm tofu can also be used if you prefer a firmer texture.
Mushroom alternative: If confidently identified velvet shank is unavailable, use the same weight of sliced cultivated chestnut mushrooms. The flavour and appearance will differ.
Cultivated enoki: Do not treat white shop-bought enoki as an identification reference for wild velvet shank. If using cultivated enoki as a separate variation, follow its package preparation and cooking instructions.
Storage: Cool leftovers promptly in small covered containers and refrigerate within 2 hours. Eat within 48 hours or freeze promptly.
Reheating: Reheat only once until steaming hot throughout. Avoid a prolonged boil for the best flavour, but thorough reheating takes priority.
Allergens: Miso, tofu and soy sauce usually contain soya. Some miso contains barley, and standard soy sauce commonly contains wheat. For a gluten-free version, check the stock and miso and use suitable gluten-free tamari.
Vegetarian or vegan: Use vegetable stock without fish ingredients and check any prepared soup bases or seasonings.