Here is another soup for you. A light and nourishing one to bring a little balance to all the holiday scrumpadillies.

Adapted from Deborah Madison's Vegetable Soups

6 dried shiitake mushrooms (plus 8 ounces of fresh shiitake mushrooms)

1 and 1/2 tablespoons of roasted peanut oil plus sesame oil to finish

minced fresh ginger, a piece about the size of your thumb

sea salt

2 teaspoons of minced garlic

1/3 cup of cilantro stems, finely chopped

1 bunch of scallions, finely sliced

1 cup of finely sliced celery

1 box of aseptic silken tofu, diced

1/2 cup chopped cilantro leaves

1 teaspoon of soy sauce, or to taste

1. Cover the mushrooms with 5 cups of boiling water and set aside while you dice and chop the vegetables.

2. Heat a soup pot over medium high heat and add the oil. Add the ginger, garlic, and 1/2 teaspoon of salt and stir fry for 2 minutes, adding the cilantro stems during the last 20 seconds. reduce the heat to medium, add the scallions, and cook about 3 minutes. Add the celery, another 1/4 teaspoon of salt, and the soaking water from the mushrooms. (Pour it through a fine strainer first and maybe even through a cheesecloth if your mushrooms were gritty.)

3. Let the soup simmer while you slice the rehydrated mushrooms and add them. (I also add about 8 ounces of fresh shiitake mushrooms to my version at this point, because you can never have too many mushrooms.) Cook for 8-10 minutes. Add the tofu, give it 2 minutes to heat through, then add the cilantro leaves and the soy sauce.

4. Serve the soup with a few drops of sesame oil in each bowl and extra soy sauce on the side for those who wish.