^[1]An aromatic brothy soup, this soup can be enjoyed any time of the year. This is an excellent way to whet the appetite for a vegetable stir-fry. Use the broth portion of this recipe as the basis for other Asian-style soups.

Serves: 4 to 6

• 2 teaspoons sesame oil
• 1 small onion, minced
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 8 to 10 dried shiitake or maitake mushrooms
• 1 to 2 tablespoons natural soy sauce, or to taste
• 3 to 4 cups sliced fresh mixed mushrooms (use 2 or 3 kinds from among
  baby bella, oyster, fresh shiitake, or enoki)
• 1/4 cup dry white wine
• 5 to 6 stalks regular bok choy, greens included, thinly sliced,
  or 2 to 3 baby bok choy, greens included, thinlyl sliced
• 3 to 4 scallions, white and green parts, sliced
• 2 to 3 tablespoons soy sauce, or to taste
• Freshly ground pepper to taste

Heat the oil in a soup pot. Add the onion and garlic and sauté over medium heat until the onion is golden. Add 6 cups water, mushrooms, and soy sauce. Bring to a simmer, then cover and simmer gently for 15 minutes. Remove from the heat and let stand another 15 minutes. Strain through a fine sieve. Reserve the mushrooms, trimming and discarding their tough stems; thinly slice the caps.

Return the broth and sliced shiitakes to the soup pot and bring to a simmer. Add the fresh mushrooms and simmer gently for 10 to 15 minutes, covered, or until they are cooked but still pleasantly chewy.

Add the remaining ingredients and simmer for another 5 to 8 minutes, or just until the bok choy is tender-crisp. Serve at once.

• Mushroom lovers, rejoice! Here are more mushroom recipes ^[2] for you.
• Here are more recipes for light and lively spring soups. ^[3]
• Here are more recipes for Leafy Spring Greens. ^[4]