Three-Mushroom Perilla Soup Without Beef (4 servings)

Use only commercially sold edible mushrooms. Tear 200 g oyster mushrooms apart; slice 150 g shiitake and 100 g king oyster mushrooms into bite-size pieces. Slice the onion and cut chives into 4 cm lengths.

Stir 60 g perilla powder and 10 g sweet rice flour with 120 mL of the vegetable stock until smooth. Reserve the remaining 880 mL stock.

Warm a pot over medium-low heat. Stir 10 mL sesame oil and 12 g minced garlic for about 1 minute without browning the garlic.

Add onion and mushrooms and stir for 2–3 minutes. Pour in the remaining 880 mL stock, bring to a boil, then reduce the heat and simmer 20–25 minutes until mushrooms are tender and fully cooked.

Stir the perilla-rice flour mixture again, then slowly add it to the pot. Simmer for another 2–3 minutes, stirring to prevent sticking, until the broth lightly thickens.

Add 15 mL soup soy sauce and 60 g chives; bring back to a brief simmer. Taste, serve hot, and promptly refrigerate leftovers rather than leaving them at room temperature.