14 cups water or vegetable or meat stock
28 cloves garlic, peeled and roughly chopped
1 oz Astragalus Root (comes either in little pieces or long slices which easily can be broken up with your fingers)
1 oz Codonopsis Root
Place all of the above in large pot and simmer covered for 2 hours. Recipe can also be halved and made in a medium size pot.
Strain or take out herbs and garlic with slotted spoon.
Add any amount, chopped any size desired of the following vegetables:
Onion
Carrot
Cabbage
Green beans
Shitake mushrooms – If fresh are not available, dried mushrooms can be used and should be soaked in water for 15 minutes or longer before chopping. Save soaking water for future stock.
Simmer as long as desired. Place tougher vegetable pieces in first, simmer and then add more delicate vegetables later so all are tender but not overcooked.
Add the following seasonings as desired:
Sea salt
Tamari or soy sauce
Sesame oil (cold pressed and unrefined)
*Roasted Sesame Oil – add only small amount, try only ½ teaspoon first because the flavor is quite strong. *Is dark brown color, usually sold in small bottles in Asian food section.
Add cooked whole grain at last minute. If grain sits in soup for longer periods of time the grain can soak up all or most of the broth. Grain suggestions include: rice, barley, millet, quinoa, etc.
Meat can be cooked with the broth or can be added later.