Vegetable Infusion

Name: Vegetable Infusion
Yield: Makes 12 cups
Cuisine: China
Ingredients: 10 quarter-sized coins fresh ginger, smashed; 4 large, rock-hard heads garlic; 5 to 6 large dried Chinese black mushrooms; 2 to 3 small green serrano chilis, halved lengthwise and smashed; 1 tablespoon fragrant black peppercorns; 6 to 8 fat scallions, cut into 1-inch nuggets and smashed; 12 cups cold water; 1½ tablespoons Szechwan peppercorns; 2 teaspoons corn or peanut oil; 2 yellow onions, thinly sliced; 4 carrots, thinly sliced; 1 fat stalk fresh lemongrass, cut into 2-inch nuggets and smashed

Preparation info

Makes
12 cups

Difficulty
Medium

Appears in

China Moon Cookbook

By Barbara Tropp

Published 1992

About

This is a wonderfully light vegetable stock that has great flavor and a lovely sweetness. For those who wish a non-meat alternative to our other stocks and infusions, it is a gem.

The infusion is a bit delicate and is best used within two days. Lengthy freezing will dull its flavors.

Ingredients

4 large, rock-hard heads garlic
5 to 6 large dried Chinese black mushrooms
2 teaspoons

Asia
China
Stock
Vegetarian
Spicy

Method

Preheat the oven to 350°F. Move a rack to the middle position.
Roast the garlic heads on a baking sheet, root side down, until very soft,