Chinese Vegetable Stock

Ingredients

4 shiitake mushrooms
2 onions
2 carrots
2 celery stalks
1 leek
1 tb vegetable oil
4 slices ginger
2 garlic
1/4 ts black peppercorns
1/4 ts szechuan peppercorns
1 tamari
8 c water

Instructions

Cover shiitake mushrooms & soak for 20 minutes. Coarsely chop the vegetables. In a soup pot, heat oil for a moment. Add the vegetables & the rest of the ingredients except the mushrooms, tamari & water. Stir-fry for 3 to 4 minutes. Add the remaining 3 ingredients. Bring to a boil, lower heat & simmer, covered for about an hour. Strain & cool to room temperature. Any stock not being used within 2 or 3 days, freeze. "Sundays at Moosewood Restaurant Cookbook"