Meera Sodha's Vegan Recipe for Braised Mushroom Celery Congee | The new vegan
Congee is one of my favorite "it's gonna be okay" dishes. For me, it has the same grounding power as a cup of tea or a bath at the perfect temperature after a long day. It's smooth for both cooking and eating when abrasive or more interesting flavors just don't feel right, and it's also lightweight, stable, and beyond endlessly customizable. For all those reasons, this is my first recipe for 2023. Even if you don't need it now, treat it more like a tool you can pull out when you do.
Celery Mushroom Congee braisedI constructed this recipe to use a whole head of celery (most of it goes into the base and the rest into a pickle) and the mushrooms, which are soaked to make a broth , are then used in a quick braise, so there is no waste. If you want to simplify the recipe and flavors, skip the pickle or braising, and top the congee with any other vegetables or condiments you have in the fridge.
Preparation 10 minsCooking 45 minsServed 4
500 g celeriac, base removed (420 g)2 tbsp rice vinegar6 tbsp mirin25 g dried shiitake mushrooms2 tbsp (30 g ) white miso paste2 tbsp sunflower oil1 brown onion, peeled and finely diced2 spring onions, thinly sliced, white and green separated5 garlic cloves, peeled and finely chopped1½ tsp fine sea salt2cm x 2cm fresh ginger, peeled and grated 150g jasmine rice 2 tbsp light soy sauce ½ tbsp dark soy sauce Commercial fried onions, to finish (optional)
First pickle preparation. Thinly slice a third of the celery, put it in a small bowl with the rice vinegar and two tablespoons of mirin, stir and set aside. Cut the remaining celery stalks into ½cm dice and set aside.
Put the mushrooms in a heatproof measuring cup, pour in 750ml of just boiled water and reserve all the other ingredients during the preparation. When the mushrooms are cool enough to handle, squeeze out the water and set aside. Carefully and slowly pour the mushroom broth into another pitcher, leaving the sand in the bottom of the first pitcher, then stir in the miso and two tablespoons of mirin.
Put oil it in a large skillet over medium heat and, when hot, add the onion, spring onion whites, garlic and salt, and cook, stirring so that it does not brown, for four minutes. Add the diced celery and ginger, sauté for five minutes, stirring again, then add the rice, mushroom stock and another 600ml of water. Bring to a boil, skimming off any scum, if desired, then put on a lid, cocked, and simmer for 30 minutes.
While the congee simmers, cook the braised mushrooms. Slice the drained soaked mushrooms, then put them in a small saucepan with the dark and light soy sauces and the remaining two tablespoons of mirin. Slowly bring to a boil over low heat, then lower the heat and simmer for 10 minutes, until the liquid glazes the mushrooms and no liquid remains at the bottom of the pan.
Ladle the congee into individual bowls, layer a quarter of the braised mushrooms, a little celery pickle, the reserved scallions and fried onions, if using, and serve warm.
Congee is one of my favorite "it's gonna be okay" dishes. For me, it has the same grounding power as a cup of tea or a bath at the perfect temperature after a long day. It's smooth for both cooking and eating when abrasive or more interesting flavors just don't feel right, and it's also lightweight, stable, and beyond endlessly customizable. For all those reasons, this is my first recipe for 2023. Even if you don't need it now, treat it more like a tool you can pull out when you do.
Celery Mushroom Congee braisedI constructed this recipe to use a whole head of celery (most of it goes into the base and the rest into a pickle) and the mushrooms, which are soaked to make a broth , are then used in a quick braise, so there is no waste. If you want to simplify the recipe and flavors, skip the pickle or braising, and top the congee with any other vegetables or condiments you have in the fridge.
Preparation 10 minsCooking 45 minsServed 4
500 g celeriac, base removed (420 g)2 tbsp rice vinegar6 tbsp mirin25 g dried shiitake mushrooms2 tbsp (30 g ) white miso paste2 tbsp sunflower oil1 brown onion, peeled and finely diced2 spring onions, thinly sliced, white and green separated5 garlic cloves, peeled and finely chopped1½ tsp fine sea salt2cm x 2cm fresh ginger, peeled and grated 150g jasmine rice 2 tbsp light soy sauce ½ tbsp dark soy sauce Commercial fried onions, to finish (optional)
First pickle preparation. Thinly slice a third of the celery, put it in a small bowl with the rice vinegar and two tablespoons of mirin, stir and set aside. Cut the remaining celery stalks into ½cm dice and set aside.
Put the mushrooms in a heatproof measuring cup, pour in 750ml of just boiled water and reserve all the other ingredients during the preparation. When the mushrooms are cool enough to handle, squeeze out the water and set aside. Carefully and slowly pour the mushroom broth into another pitcher, leaving the sand in the bottom of the first pitcher, then stir in the miso and two tablespoons of mirin.
Put oil it in a large skillet over medium heat and, when hot, add the onion, spring onion whites, garlic and salt, and cook, stirring so that it does not brown, for four minutes. Add the diced celery and ginger, sauté for five minutes, stirring again, then add the rice, mushroom stock and another 600ml of water. Bring to a boil, skimming off any scum, if desired, then put on a lid, cocked, and simmer for 30 minutes.
While the congee simmers, cook the braised mushrooms. Slice the drained soaked mushrooms, then put them in a small saucepan with the dark and light soy sauces and the remaining two tablespoons of mirin. Slowly bring to a boil over low heat, then lower the heat and simmer for 10 minutes, until the liquid glazes the mushrooms and no liquid remains at the bottom of the pan.
Ladle the congee into individual bowls, layer a quarter of the braised mushrooms, a little celery pickle, the reserved scallions and fried onions, if using, and serve warm.
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