Chinese Corn-and-Mushroom Soup

INGREDIENTS

·         3 ears corn, shucked and snapped in half

·         6 ounces shiitake mushrooms

·         1 bunch scallions (about 8)

·         1 1/2 inches fresh ginger, peeled

·         1 pound silken tofu

·         1/4 cup soy sauce or tamari

·         2 teaspoons sambal oelek, plus more for serving (optional)

·         1 tablespoon toasted sesame oil, plus more for serving (optional)

DIRECTIONS

1.    1. In a pot, bring broth and 2 cups water to a boil. Meanwhile, slice corn from cobs and set aside; add cobs to pot. Remove and discard shiitake stems; cut caps in half (into quarters, if large) and add to pot. Thinly slice scallions and add white and light-green parts to pot, reserving dark-green tops. Grate ginger directly into pot. Reduce heat to low; simmer 10 minutes.

2.    2. Remove cobs from pot. Add corn kernels and tofu. Stir, breaking tofu into bite-size pieces; simmer 1 minute. Stir in soy sauce, sambal oelek, and oil. Serve, with scallion tops, drizzled with more sambal oelek and oil.