Butternut Squash and Shiitake Mushroom Soup

<br>I learned to cook after I moved away from home. Because my dad stayed home when I was born so my mom could go back to work, he was the one who cooked in our household, and this was unusual in the 70s when I was born. Surprisingly, it seems to still not be that common-the more things change, the more they stay the same? But he embraced it. After his divorce, Dad learned to cook for himself, then he cooked for my mom and then for me and my brother, too. However, Dad didn’t have the patience to teach us how to cook. I watched and retained some things-the basics of making gravy from pan drippings, the importance of summer savoury in our Thanksgiving meals, how to make your own stock-but never took in enough to full-on cook. One of the things that did stick was soups. My dad was great at soups. He made chicken-noodle soup with noodles from scratch.<br>
<br>I know! Noodles from scratch-so amazing. He made thick pea soup, beef and barley, and more, all from scratch, with leftovers even better than the first day. So, it is fitting now that soups are some of my favourite go-to meals. This lovely soup is in my regular rotation. I learned the basics of this recipe from a chef in the kitchen where I worked while in university. It was delicious-smooth and hearty with a delightful kick. For months I asked the chef about the secret ingredient, receiving only an enigmatic smile. I didn’t give up, and eventually he told me: black pepper. Lots of black pepper. I’ve added an option for other spices if you’re interested, but I recommend just adding lots of black pepper. Recommended serving: The soup is light, so serve with bread or with salad greens topped with chickpeas for a lunch, or with a sandwich or wrap for a heartier meal. This recipe can be adapted for a slow cooker or Instant Pot.<br>
<br>If using broth, have some extra on hand to ensure it doesn’t evaporate and burn the onion. When onions are ready, add butternut squash, mushroom, salt and stock. Grind ¼ to ½ teaspoon black pepper on top. If you have any questions relating to where and how to use manufacturer of shiitake mushroom extract powder as Raw Material for drinks, you can get hold of us at our web page. Add optional spices as desired. Turn heat to high to boil, then lower to low-medium and simmer 45 min to 1 hour. After an hour, checking for softness of the squash: a fork will easily pierce the squash when it’s done. You can’t really over-cook this soup, so don’t stress-if you’d like to keep it cooking so you can finish something else or watch the end of the last episode of whatever you’re streaming, just make sure there is enough broth to keep the squash and mushrooms covered. When the squash is done, blend everything with a stick blender, or carefully add in batches to blend in a countertop blender. Use your judgement on how much to blend, if you prefer a little mushroom texture or would rather it be smooth. I think the soup is lovely as-is, but those who prefer a creamier soup can stir in coconut milk: start with a half-cup and taste before adding more. For fancier presentation or if you just think soups deserve to be treated like the 4-star dishes they are, add a topping: caramelized onions, croutons or a slice of crusty bread, a swirl of plain coconut yogurt or coconut milk, or toasted pumpkin seeds. A roasted potato wedge might be nice too.<br>
<br>Jia zong (假粽): Instead of glutinous rice, balls of glutinous rice flour (so no individual grains of rice are discernible) are used to enclose the fillings of the zongzi. These “fake zong” are typically smaller than most and are much stickier. Jianshui zong (碱水粽): These “alkaline water zong” are typically eaten as a dessert item rather than as part of the main meal. Jianshui zong typically contain either no filling or are filled with a sweet mixture, such as sweet bean paste. Sometimes, a certain redwood sliver (蘇木) is inserted for color and flavor. They are often eaten with sugar or light syrup. Cantonese jung (广东粽): This is representative of the southern variety of zongzi, usually consisting of marinated meat, such as pork belly, and duck, with other ingredients like mung bean paste, mushrooms, dried scallops, and salted egg yolk. Cantonese jung are small, the front is square, back has a raised sharp angle, shaped like an awl.<br>
<br>Chiu Chou jung (潮州粽): This is a variation of Cantonese jung with red bean paste, pork belly, chestnut, mushroom, and dried shrimp, in a triangular prism. Banlam zang (闽南粽): Xiamen, Quanzhou area is very famous for its pork rice dumplings, made with braised pork with pork belly, plus mushrooms, shrimp, and so on. Sichuan zong (四川粽): Sichuan people like to eat spicy and “tingly-numbing” (麻) sense food, so they make spicy rice dumplings. They add Sichuan peppercorns, chili powder, Sichuan salt, and a little preserved pork, wrapped into four-cornered dumplings. Cooked and then roasted, it tastes tender and flavorful. Beijing zong (北京粽): The Beijing zong are sweet and often eaten cold. Common fillings include red dates and bean paste, as well as preserved fruit. Taiwanese zongzi are regionally split by the process of cooking rather than filling.<br>