Chinese Vegetable Stock

Use it for soup bases or where ever you need stock for your next Asian dish.

Method

Soak the mushrooms in 2 cups boiling water for 20 minutes.
In a large stock pan, add soy, cooking wine and mushroom liquid to about 1.5 litres cold water
Trim carrot and celery stick
Cut onion in half - no need to peel
Crush ginger slightly with flat of knife
Add these to the stock pot along with mushrooms
In a small fry pan lightly toast the star anise, pepper corns and cinnamon and add to pot
Add sugar
Bring to boil
Once it's reached boiling point, turn down to low heat and part cover
Leave to simmer very gently for 1 hour
Remove from heat
Cool and then strain and discard solids
You are ready to roll
Freezes well for a month or so