Stir-Fried Maitake Mushrooms With Garlic And Chile Oil

Prep the ingredients:  Place the soy sauce in a small bowl. Place the water in a separate small bowl and set both aside.

Cook the garlic: Heat the oil in a wok (or a large skillet) over high heat until it shimmers. Add the garlic, and cook, stirring frequently with a wok shovel or a wooden spoon, until it is golden and just beginning to turn light brown, about 1 minute.  Use a slotted spoon (or just your stirring spoon) to remove the garlic from the pan, leaving the oil. Set the garlic aside.

Cook the mushrooms: Add the mushrooms to the oil and stir-fry them—flipping and stirring occasionally and pressing them against the sides of the wok for 20 to 30 seconds at a time, so they brown a bit—for 3 minutes total.  If the mushrooms are browning quickly but are not beginning to wilt, drizzle in the water, to help them soften.

Add soy sauce to the mushrooms:  Drizzle the soy sauce over the mushrooms, then continue to cook them for another 2 minutes, until the liquid is fully absorbed, and the mushrooms look soft and tender.

Add the chile oil: Drizzle in the chile oil and mix everything well.

Serve: Transfer the mushrooms to a serving bowl, and enjoy while hot with rice and other Chinese dishes. Love the recipe? Leave us stars below!