Getting your player ready...
From “Japanese Light,” by Kimiko Barber. Makes about 4 cups.
Ingredients
2 postcard-sized pieces of kombu (kelp seaweed, see page 2)
3 dried shiitake mushrooms
4 cups water
Directions
Soak the kombu and shiitake mushrooms in the water for 1 hour before placing over low to moderate heat. Slowly bring the water to a gentle boil, but do not let it come to a full boil. Remove the kombu pieces when they begin to float to the surface. Increase the heat and boil rapidly for 2 minutes, then turn off the heat. Let the liquid cool to room temperature before removing the shiitake mushrooms.
