Mixed Mushroom Wafu Pasta

By: Kay Wijaya

Ingredients

¼ cup (80ml) extra virgin olive oil
200g fresh Shittake mushroom, ends trimmed and sliced
400g combination of fresh Shimegi, Oyster, Enoki or King Oyster mushrooms, ends trimmed and roughly torn or sliced
6-8 garlic cloves, crushed
A pinch of dried chilli flakes (optional)
3 tbsp (60ml) liquid dashi
3 tbsp (60ml) soy sauce
3 tbsp (60ml) Obento Sake
4 tbsp (80ml) Obento mirin
250g dried spaghetti
2 spring onions, finely sliced, reserving the green parts for garnish
50g unsalted butter
3 tsp yuzu juice (or lemon juice)
1 sheet of Obento Yaki nori, finely shredded

In a heavy based pan over medium high heat, drizzle some olive oil (1-2 tbsp) and cook the mushrooms for 3-4 minutes in batches until golden and brown. Set aside until ready to use.
In the same pan, reduce to medium heat, add 2 tablespoons of olive oil and saute the garlic for 1-2 minutes until softened but not browned. Add the chilli flakes, dashi, soy, sake, mirin, 2 tablespoons of water and bring to a boil. When the sauce has slightly reduced add all the mushrooms and cook for a further 3-4 minutes.
Meanwhile, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the pasta and cook 2 minutes less than advised on the packet instructions. Reserve ½ cup of the starchy cooking liquid then drain and rinse the pasta under cold water. Set aside until the mushroom sauce is ready.
Add the spaghetti, sliced spring onion whites, reserved pasta liquid to the mushroom sauce and cook for 2-3 minutes until the pasta is cooked through and has absorbed some of the mushroom sauce. Finish off by adding the butter and yuzu and stirring until the sauce emulsifies.
To serve, garnish with the spring onion greens, nori flakes and chilli flakes (if using),