Vegetarian Mushroom Stock (Su Tang)

Origin: China, Buddhist vegetarian tradition. A stock built from dried shiitake mushroom, kombu, and sometimes soy milk skin (fu pei) or other dried vegetables, developed within Chinese Buddhist vegetarian cooking to achieve deep umami without meat or seafood.

Flavor Profile: Deeply savory-umami with a distinct mushroom earthiness, remarkably close in richness to meat-based stocks despite being entirely plant-based.

Culinary Uses: Base for Buddhist vegetarian banquet dishes and increasingly for general vegetarian and vegan Chinese cooking.

Regional Variations: Some versions add dried daikon radish for sweetness; the specific mushroom-to-kombu ratio significantly affects final umami intensity.

Storage: Refrigerate 4–5 days; freezes well.