Vegetarian Mushroom Stock (Su Tang)

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.