Mushroom Rice

One of the things I miss most on my low-sodium diet is Chinese food. It seems like a new takeout joint opens every other week in my neighborhood, and those wafting aromas linger in my mind like boxed treasure. Unfortunately, soy sauce and its ugly step-sister MSG are strictly off-limits - and rightly so. Fortunately, after some experimentation and tweaking in the kitchen, I’ve come up with a substitute that - if not exactly perfect, is at least satisfying. This recipe is for a hearty one-dish meal, and pays homage to Chinese food thanks to the faux soy sauce I concocted, but could easily be modified to reflect a variety of cuisines. Try new variations on the dish by adding additional vegetables and/or bits of cooked egg or meat.
Serves 4.

SODIUM CONTENT: 22.4 mg per serving

INGREDIENTS

FAUX SOY SAUCE
1/4 c. Grandma’s original unsulphered molasses (available in many supermarkets nationwide and online)
3 T. rice wine vinegar
1 T. water
1 t. very-low-sodium or sodium-free beef bouillon granules
1/4 t. ground white pepper

MUSHROOM RICE
1 10-oz. package Baby Bella or portobello mushrooms, diced
1 1/2 c. diced onion (about 1 med-lg onion)
2 1/2 T. minced garlic (about 6 cloves)
3 T. vegetable oil
6 c. cooked rice (aromatic rice such as jamine or basmati works well)
1/2 c. (1 recipe) faux soy sauce
freshly ground black pepper to taste

DIRECTIONS

In a small saucepan, combine all of the ingredients for the faux soy sauce. Heat over low while cooking the main dish.

Place a large saute pan over medium-high heat and measure in the vegetable oil. Add the onion and garlic and cook, stirring, for about 5 minutes. Add the chopped mushrooms and cook, stirring, for another 5-7 minutes. Remove from heat. Add the cooked rice and pour in the faux soy, then stir well to combine. Serve immediately.