Sweet Simmered Dried Shiitake Mushrooms

This is the traditional way of cooking dried shiitake mushrooms. The mushrooms are cooked in their soaking liquid, seasoned with sake, shoyu, and sugar. The cooked mushrooms can be served along with other simmered vegetables, sliced and used as a noodle topping, or minced and tossed with plain cooked rice or sushi rice along with chopped shiso or parsley and freshly toasted white sesame seeds. The cooked mushrooms freeze well for later use.