Fungi Bowl Recipe

Infuse broth

Place vegetable broth, dried kombu, and dried porcini mushrooms in a large pot. Add sliced ginger, smashed garlic, soy sauce, mirin, and sesame oil. Bring to a gentle simmer over medium heat. Once simmering, reduce heat to low and simmer very gently for 20 minutes to extract deep flavors. Do not boil vigorously to avoid bitterness from kombu.

After 20 minutes, remove the kombu and discard. Strain the broth through a fine mesh sieve into a clean pot to remove the porcini and aromatics, pressing gently on solids to extract liquid. Return strained broth to pot and keep warm on low. Taste and season with salt and additional soy or water if the broth is too strong. Stir in 1 tsp porcini powder into the warm broth for an added concentrated mushroom note, reserving 1 tsp for finishing.

Prepare mushrooms: trim bases from hon-shimeji and separate clusters, tear maitake into bite-size pieces, and slice shiitake caps. Pat mushrooms dry with paper towel to ensure they brown rather than steam.

Heat a large skillet or sauté pan over medium-high heat. Add neutral oil. When shimmering, add maitake and shiitake and let them sear without moving for 1–2 minutes to develop color. Stir and continue to cook for 3–4 minutes until edges are golden. Add hon-shimeji and cook 1–2 more minutes until tender. Season with 1/2 tsp salt and 1/4 tsp black pepper.

If using butter, reduce heat to medium and add the butter to the pan, tossing mushrooms to coat and develop a glossy finish, about 30 seconds. Sprinkle the remaining 1 tsp porcini powder over the mushrooms and toss to incorporate. Remove pan from heat and keep mushrooms warm. Reserve a few attractive pieces for garnish.

Cook noodles according to package instructions in a separate pot of boiling water until just tender (usually 2–4 minutes for fresh ramen, 4–5 for dried). Drain and briefly rinse under hot water to remove excess starch if desired. Divide noodles between two large bowls.

Reheat broth to a gentle simmer. Ladle 3 cups of hot broth into each bowl over the noodles, ensuring the liquid is hot enough to warm toppings and eggs.

Top each bowl with an even portion of the sautéed mushroom mixture, arranging some pieces on top for presentation. Add wilted spinach or bok choy alongside the mushrooms. Slice soft-boiled eggs in half and place on the bowls if using. Scatter sliced scallions, toasted sesame seeds, and a few nori strips. Drizzle a little shoyu oil or chili oil if you like an extra layer of flavor.

Finish: taste and adjust with additional soy or salt if needed. Serve immediately while hot.