Homemade Vegetarian Oyster Sauce

Gently rinse the Dried Shiitake Mushroom (1/2 cup) to remove the dust on the surface. Transfer into a bowl and cover with 2-inches Water (to taste). Soak until the mushrooms turn completely tender, 30 minutes to 1 hour.

Rinse the mushrooms in the soaking water by gently rubbing the caps with your fingers. Squeeze out extra liquid and transfer the mushrooms to a cutting board. Let the mushroom-soaking water sit for 10 minutes. Slice the mushrooms into thin pieces.

Heat Peanut Oil (2 Tbsp) in a medium size pan over medium heat until warm. Add shiitake mushrooms. Cook and stir until both sides turns golden, 3 to 5 minutes.

Add finely grated Fresh Ginger (1 tsp) and finely minced Garlic (2 cloves). Cook and stir for another minute. Transfer everything into a food processor.

Add 1 cup of the reserved mushroom-soaking liquid to the food processor. Puree until smooth. Return everything into the fry pan.

Add Light Soy Sauce (1 Tbsp), Dark Soy Sauce (1 Tbsp), Miso Paste (1/2 Tbsp), Agave Syrup (1 tsp) and Chinese Five Spice Powder (1/4 tsp) in a small bowl. Whisk until the miso paste has dissolved completely. Pour into the frying pan and stir to mix well.

Cook over low heat until the sauce is brought to a gentle simmer and is thick enough to coat a spoon. If the sauce turns too dry, add a few more spoons of the mushroom-soaking water.

Remove the pan from stove, add Dark Toasted Sesame Oil (1/2 Tbsp), and stir to mix well. Transfer to a big bowl to cool.

Once the sauce has cooled down completely, transfer to an airtight container and store in the fridge for up for 1 week or in the freezer for 2 months.