Chicken-Soup-with-Ginger-and-Shiitake-Mushrooms

[Timothy]

Chicken soup doesn't need to take hours to make. This is a simple, light chicken soup that is richly flavored with shiitake mushrooms, and brightened with fresh ginger and soy sauce.
This recipe is featured on my own site as a thread in the "Recipe Box".

Chicken-Soup-with-Ginger-and-Shiitake-Mushrooms

 

[taxlady]

I can't see the recipe. It tells me I'm not logged in.

 

[Timothy]

I can't see the recipe. It tells me I'm not logged in.

I'm so sorry, I had forgotten that I have that forum blocked to non-members.

here's the page from where I get the RSS feed for that forum:
Chicken Soup with Ginger and Shiitake Mushrooms Recipe | Simply Recipes

 

[taxlady]

Looks yummy, though I will have to leave out the soy (I'm not supposed to eat soy).

It says, "The stock is very light, and comes just from the cooking of the ingredients for less than half an hour." Technically, that's not stock. It is "court bouillon" (French for short boil).

 

[Savory]

I would say the soup would come out better without soy sauce. Soy sauce is great when you make stir-fry, or stew. But in soup - not so great. The soy flavour is too strong and it overwhelms the chicken and shitake's flavours.

And I don't think corn starch marinade is necessary. From this recipe, I think it calls for corn starch for marinade so it helps the chicken to absorb the soy flavour. But again, this is more for stir-fry type dish.

In stir-fry, since you cook quickly over short time, you want to marinade meat in advance so it's more flavourful.

However for soups in Chinese cooking, marinade is uncommon.

You can still make a chicken soup within half an hour as long as you break the chicken into smaller pieces. And using shitake definitely helps.

Besides ginger, you can also pour a tablespoon of cooking wine to the soup to add flavour.

 

[Andy M.]

I see soy sauce used in other Asian soup recipes along with the use of corn starch to prepare the meat to be used in the soup.

If the soy isn't overdone, it shouldn't overpower the other flavors.

 

[CWS4322]

I like adding a little lemon grass when I make chicken stock with ginger and shitake mushrooms. Because I use dehydrated mushrooms, I will also add some of the water from rehydrating the mushrooms.

 

[Timothy]

I would say the soup would come out better without soy sauce. Soy sauce is great when you make stir-fry, or stew. But in soup - not so great. The soy flavour is too strong and it overwhelms the chicken and shitake's flavours.

With 3 cups of water and a pound and a half of meat, I don't see two tablespoons of soy sauce as being overwhelming in any way. Of course, it all depends on what soy sauce you use. I have a dark, mushroom flavored soy sauce that would be overpowering in as little as one teaspoon of it in that recipe. Two tablespoons of light soy sauce shouldn't hardly even be noticed. There are soy sauces that range from very, very light, (Touchou), all the way to something akin to black mud. Some of the dark soys are outrageous! I've used one that was so thick, it was like paste, and a quarter teaspoon of it would flavor a gallon of broth.

Tóuchōu; The light soy sauce made from the first pressing of the soybeans, which can be loosely translated as first soy sauce or referred to as premium light soy sauce. Touchōu is sold at a premium because, like extra virgin olive oil, the flavor of the first pressing is considered superior. Due to its delicate flavour it is used primarily for dipping.

 

[Savory]

With 3 cups of water and a pound and a half of meat, I don't see two tablespoons of soy sauce as being overwhelming in any way. Of course, it all depends on what soy sauce you use. I have a dark, mushroom flavored soy sauce that would be overpowering in as little as one teaspoon of it in that recipe. Two tablespoons of light soy sauce shouldn't hardly even be noticed. There are soy sauces that range from very, very light, (Touchou), all the way to something akin to black mud. Some of the dark soys are outrageous! I've used one that was so thick, it was like paste, and a quarter teaspoon of it would flavor a gallon of broth.

Tóuchōu; The light soy sauce made from the first pressing of the soybeans, which can be loosely translated as first soy sauce or referred to as premium light soy sauce. Touchōu is sold at a premium because, like extra virgin olive oil, the flavor of the first pressing is considered superior. Due to its delicate flavour it is used primarily for dipping.

Tim - your comments about soy sauce is very thorough!

I would like to add a few lines about soy sauce.

Light soy sauce, as the name suggests, is lighter in color and milder in taste. However, it is actually more salty than the Dark one.

Light soy sauce is commonly used in stir-fry. It can also be used in dressing or as a dipping sauce as well.

Tóuchōu, the "premium soy sauce" from the first pressing, is not necessarily the lightest in flavour. It simply means it comes from the first pressing through fermentation of soybean and wheat flour. It is a good choice for dipping, and equally good for stir-fry.

Other variations of light soy sauce include "Seasoned Soy Sauce for Seafood", which is used in steamed fish; and "Shrimp Soy Sauce", which contains shrimp essence.

Dark (thick) soy sauce is darker and thicker because it contains molasses and sugar. Dark soy sauce is used more commonly for darkening the colour of dish. In fact, Dark soy sauce is not necessarily more salty than the light one.

Dark soy sauce is more commonly found in stew recipe due to its capability of darkening the colour.

As you said, a common variation of Dark soy sauce is the one with shitake mushroom flavour.


Back to the chicken soup recipe, I agree the soy sauce may not overpower others' flavour as long as it's not overused.

But I still say, from my very own experience of cooking chicken soup in the Chinese way for many many years, the soup does not need soy sauce to boost its flavour. It would turn out equally good without it, if not better than with it. The soup's flavour mainly comes from chicken, shitake mushroom, and ginger.

 

[CharlieD]

I love soy sauce in asian stule soups, love it. It works really well, it add an amazing flavor, of course you have to make sure to use a good soy sauce. Try Lee Kum Kee brand, they have many differen flavor varieties of soy sauce. it is by far one of the best redily available soy sauces on the market.
Thank for this recipe.

 

[CharlieD]

... But I still say, from my very own experience of cooking chicken soup in the Chinese way for many many years, the soup does not need soy sauce to boost its flavour...

Seems to me that you are substituting your own taste for your own expirience.

By the same token i have to say that from my own expirience cooking soup with soy sauce is the best way to make soup.

But then of course one should not argue about taste. Taste is a very personal thing.

 

[Timothy]

I love soy sauce in asian stule soups, love it. It works really well, it add an amazing flavor, of course you have to make sure to use a good soy sauce. Try Lee Kum Kee brand, they have many differen flavor varieties of soy sauce. it is by far one of the best redily available soy sauces on the market.
Thank for this recipe.

You're very welcome, Charlie. I put soy sauce in almost everything I make. There must be 200 brands of it. My favorite Asian Market has an entire shelf full of brands.

 

[Savory]

Charlie, sure, everyone has his/her own preference, and there is no right or wrong. I was talking about my own experience and preference, which, I think, contributes to the discussion just equally well as someone who might hold an opposite view.

 

[CharlieD]

Sorry, my English is not that great, plus i am very straight forward. So when somebody says my experience to me it seems that person describes "how it should be", if you will. If somebody say "my taste" than i know person talks about his/her own preferences, sorry.

 

[Chief Longwind Of The North]

Using the soy sauce and cornstarch as a marinade for chicken, or other meats, then poaching either in water, or low temperature oil (325 F.) is a method called velvetizing, and is extensively in Asian Cooking, especially Chinese. It results in extremely tender, and lightly seasoned meat. Sometimes a weak acidic ingredient is added to the marinade as well. Hot & Sour soup aslo benefits from the addition of ginger. It is a wonderful spice for making flavors brighter.

As for the soy sauce, it is a seasoning. just as with salt, or any ohter flavor, too much will overpower a dish. But if you use it sparingly, it can enhance a recipe dramatically. Though I don't think I'd put it into my pancake recipe. Hahahahah.

Seeeeeeya; Chief Longwind of the North

 

[Timothy]

Using the soy sauce and cornstarch as a marinade for chicken, or other meats, then poaching either in water, or low temperature oil (325 F.) is a method called velvetizing, and is extensively in Asian Cooking, especially Chinese. It results in extremely tender, and lightly seasoned meat. Sometimes a weak acidic ingredient is added to the marinade as well. Hot & Sour soup aslo benefits from the addition of ginger. It is a wonderful spice for making flavors brighter.

As for the soy sauce, it is a seasoning. just as with salt, or any ohter flavor, too much will overpower a dish. But if you use it sparingly, it can enhance a recipe dramatically. Though I don't think I'd put it into my pancake recipe. Hahahahah.

Well said! Thank you!

 

[Savory]

I should apologize if I have sounded arbitrary. I did not mean to, though. Maybe my English is not perfect. Sorry.

I definitely agree soy sauce is used very common in many types of dish in Asian especially Chinese cooking. And as long as it's used in a correct way, it is lovely.

In fact, I very often use soy sauce and corn starch to marinade chicken and other meat before cooking them. The longer you marinade the meat, the more tender and flavourful it is.

I do have a recipe that I would like to share, where chicken is cooked with shitake mushroom and Chinese ham, and chicken is marinated with soy sauce and corn starch in advance. I will start a new post.