Although mushrooms are actually fungi, they are often portrayed as vegetables in today's society. The delicious shiitake mushroom fry detailed in this instructable is not only healthy, but also incredibly delicious.

Supplies

One bag of dried shiitake mushrooms (or about 12 fresh shiitake mushrooms)

2 teaspoons vegetarian oyster sauce, oyster sauce, or mushroom sauce

1 teaspoon sriracha or chili paste (can be adjusted to your taste)

2-3 tablespoons sesame oil

1 teaspoon minced garlic or garlic paste

2 tablespoons soy sauce

1 teaspoon rice wine vinegar

2 teaspoons brown sugar

Step 1: Step 1: Soak and Chop the Shiitake Mushrooms

The first step in making this dish is, if you have the dried version of the shiitake mushrooms, to soak them in water for about half an hour. After soaking, remove the stems and chop the mushrooms into strips. If you have fresh mushrooms, skip the soaking step and start chopping.

Also, don't throw away the mushroom soaking water, as it makes a great soup base and will also be used in the sauce.

Step 2: Step 2: Make the Rice

Rice is a crucial part of eating this dish and is also incredibly easy to make. The rice I use for this recipe is jasmine rice. First, start by taking one cup of rice and rinsing it under the tap two to three times. Next, add 1 1/3 cups water to the pot or rice cooker you are cooking rice in. Then, turn the stove heat to medium if cooking the rice on the stove. It will take about 20 minutes for the water to evaporate, and you will want to monitor the pot to see when to take it off the stove at this point.

Step 3: Step 3: Make the Sauce

Making the sauce is the most simple but also most crucial part of the entire process. To do this step, first mix together three tablespoons of the soaking water from the mushrooms along with the two teaspoons of brown sugar.

When the brown sugar is dissolved, add around one teaspoon of sriracha (adjust to your taste), two tablespoons soy sauce, one teaspoon rice wine vinegar, two teaspoons oyster sauce or a substitute, and one teaspoon garlic paste or minced garlic. Mix thoroughly and set aside.

Step 4: Step 4: Cook the Mushrooms

To cook the mushrooms, first start out with a pan on medium-high heat. Start by adding about three tablespoons sesame oil. After this is heated up (about one minute), add the sliced mushrooms. Once the mushrooms are about as golden brown as they are in the picture (five to ten minutes), turn the heat down to low and add the sauce. The sauce will sizzle, and once it has reduced enough to your taste, take the mushrooms off the stove.