Kidney Stew

Ingredients

• 1 whole Beef kidney (Trimmed of any visible fat and sinew after soaking)
• 0.25 pound Dried mushrooms (Any dried Asian mushroom variety such as shiitake works well)
• 1 whole Small onion (Finely chopped)
• 1.25 teaspoons Salt (Added to the stew during cooking — separate from the soaking salt)
• 1 dash Cayenne pepper (Just a small pinch for a subtle heat)
• 2 tablespoons Fat pork (Finely chopped; used to render fat for frying — bacon fat or lard can be used as a substitute)
• 3 tablespoons Syou (soy sauce) (Syou is the historical spelling of soy sauce; use any standard soy sauce)
• 1 handful Salt (Used only for the soaking water to draw out the strong odour from the kidney; discard with the soaking water)

Instructions

1. 1Place the whole beef kidney in a large bowl. Cover it completely with cold water and stir in a generous handful of salt. Leave it to soak for 30 minutes. This step helps draw out the strong odour that kidneys can have, resulting in a milder, more pleasant flavour. After soaking, drain and discard the salty water. Pat the kidney dry with paper towels.
2. 2While the kidney is soaking, place the dried mushrooms in a bowl and rinse them briefly under lukewarm running water to remove any grit. Then cover them with fresh lukewarm water and leave to soak for 10 minutes to rehydrate. Once softened, pull off and discard the tough stalks. The mushroom caps are what you will use in the stew. Drain them but you can reserve the soaking liquid — it is flavourful and can be added to the stew if it starts to dry out during cooking.
3. 3Place the soaked and dried kidney on a chopping board. Using a sharp knife, cut it into small, bite-sized pieces — roughly 2 cm (about 3/4 inch) each. If you notice any white, rubbery-looking tubes or white fatty cores inside the kidney, trim those away as they can be tough and bitter. Do not worry about making the pieces perfectly uniform.
4. 4Place a heavy-bottomed pot or deep frying pan over medium-high heat. Add the 2 tablespoons of finely chopped fat pork. Stir and cook for 2 to 3 minutes until the fat has melted out and the pork pieces are lightly browned — this is called rendering. The rendered fat is what you will use to fry the kidney. Add the kidney pieces to the pot in a single layer as best you can. Fry them in the pork fat, stirring occasionally, for about 5 minutes until they are browned on the outside. Do not worry about cooking them through at this stage.
5. 5Add the rehydrated and de-stalked mushroom caps to the pot with the browned kidney. Add the finely chopped onion, 1 and 1/4 teaspoons of salt, 3 tablespoons of soy sauce, and a small dash of cayenne pepper. Stir everything together so the ingredients are well combined and coated in the soy sauce. If the mixture looks very dry at this point, add a small splash of the reserved mushroom soaking liquid or boiling water — just enough to keep things moist.
6. 6Place a tight-fitting lid on the pot. Reduce the heat to low so the stew is only gently bubbling — this is a slow simmer, not a rolling boil. Cook for 1 hour. Check on it every 15 minutes or so; if the liquid has reduced and the stew looks dry or is starting to stick to the bottom, add a small amount of boiling water (a few tablespoons at a time) and stir gently. Do not add cold water as it will interrupt the cooking temperature. After 1 hour, the kidney should be tender and the flavours well developed.
7. 7Once the stew has finished cooking, remove the lid and give it a final gentle stir. Taste and adjust seasoning if needed. Spoon the kidney stew into bowls or onto plates and serve alongside steamed white rice. The rich, savoury sauce pairs well with plain rice, which helps balance the bold flavours of the dish.