Braised Fish-Paste Stuffed Shiitake Mushrooms (Niang Dong Gu)

Why people make this dish

Nourilo enjoys cooking with fish paste (yu hua / dace paste) — it can be stuffed into green peppers, aubergine, tofu, or as here, fresh shiitake mushrooms. When he found a vendor at the market selling fish paste made from a type of carp (wu tou yu / mudfish), he bought some to try in this classic preparation: mushrooms are dusted with cornstarch on the inside, stuffed with the fish paste, pan-fried until golden on the bottom, then finished in a simple sauce. The result is tender mushrooms with a fragrant, savoury fish filling — a very easy dish that tastes far more refined than the effort involved.

Method

1. Wash the lettuce and arrange on a serving plate; set aside.
2. Remove stems from the shiitake mushrooms; wipe or gently rinse the caps. Pat dry.
3. Dust the hollow inside of each mushroom cap with a light coating of cornstarch — this helps the fish paste stick.
4. Press or spoon the fish paste firmly into each mushroom cap, mounding it slightly.
5. Heat a flat-bottomed pan or wok over medium heat with a little oil. Place the stuffed mushrooms fish-paste-side down in the pan.
6. Pan-fry until the fish paste is golden and cooked through, about 3–4 minutes. Remove and set aside.
7. In the same pan, heat a little oil, add the minced ginger and stir briefly. Add half 300 ml of water and your seasoning (salt, light soy or oyster sauce). Bring to a simmer.
8. Return the mushrooms and a few lettuce leaves to the pan. Let the liquid reduce for 1–2 minutes until the sauce is slightly thickened and coats the mushrooms.
9. Transfer to the prepared serving plate and serve immediately.

Nourilo’s Tips

• For the best flavour and texture with dried shiitake mushrooms (if using those instead of fresh), soak them until fully softened, then steam them briefly with a little oil and sugar before stuffing — this gives a much more fragrant, silky texture than just soaking.
• Fresh shiitake mushrooms are lighter and more tender than dried; they work beautifully in this quick braised preparation.
• If fish paste is not available at your local fishmonger, a good-quality store-bought fish ball paste or minced fish with seasoning makes a decent substitute.
• The garnishing vegetables can be whatever you have: bok choy, gai lan, spinach, or any leafy green.