Shiitake ginger broth with seaweed

This soup is by no means hearty but it is very satisfying. It is Japanese in origin, and you can use the basic broth as a starting point for many variations on the theme. Try adding diced tofu or a little miso, sliced cooked chicken or duck, cooked and shelled prawns or crab meat, cooked noodles or even shaved vegetables. You needn’t head to a Japanese supermarket or Chinatown to source the seaweed and dried shiitake, as these can often be bought from health-food shops. Shiitake mushrooms c