Shiitake Miso Gravy

This shiitake mushroom and miso gravy is full of delicious umami flavor. Pour this flavorful gravy on top of your favorite dishes; such as whole grains or traditional mashed potatoes. I used Miso Master Organic Traditional Red Miso for this recipe. However, if you want a lighter gravy in color and flavor use Miso Master Organic Mellow White Miso. Both the red or white miso will make for a delicious mushroom gravy!

Author: Organic Chef Tom

Ingredients

Scale

6–8 Emperor’s Kitchen Organic Shiitake Mushrooms, soaked and sliced thin
1 small onion, cut into thin half moons
1 Tablespoon fresh parsley, chopped fine
1 Tablespoon fresh oregano, chopped fine
1 Tablespoon fresh thyme, chopped fine
2 cups water or vegetable broth
2 Tablespoons olive oil
1 Tablespoon Miso Master Organic Traditional Red Miso, dissolve in 2 tablespoons warm water
2 – 2½ Tablespoons Emperor’s Kitchen Organic Kuzu, cornstarch or arrowroot, dissolved in about 2 +/- Tablespoons cool water*

Instructions

Heat olive oil in small saucepan or deep fry pan.
Saute onions, shiitake, parsley, oregano and thyme in olive oil for 2-3 minutes.
Add water or broth and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to a low simmer, cover and cook for 10 minutes.
Add dissolved kuzu and increase heat a little to help thicken to desired consistency. You may need a little more kuzu as it can be a little difficult to measure. (See notes below)
Once thickened, reduce heat to a low simmer (below boiling point) and add dissolved miso. Adjust to taste.

Notes

*KUZU: To make it easier to measure the Emperor’s Kitchen Organic Kuzu, I shake the jar a little to break up the large clumps. You can also use the back of a spoon or a suribachi to break up the kuzu. Add just enough cool water to dissolve into a thick, yet pourable paste.

MISO: To dissolve miso, place in a small bowl adding enough warm water to create a smooth texture.

THICKENER ALTERNATIVES
You can substitute Kuzu with organic corn starch or arrowroot powder.

VARIATION
ASIAN FLAVORED GRAVY
Add a tasty Asian flavor to this recipe that’s absolutely delicious on rice, substitute Emperor’s Kitchen Organic Toasted Sesame Oil for the olive oil.

ITALIAN FLAVORED GRAVY
Add some Emperor’s Kitchen Organic Chopped Garlic along with shiitake, onions and seasonings.