Soak the mushrooms in the 1/2 cup of hot water for 30 minutes.

Remove the stems from the caps, they are too tough to eat.

Pour the soaking water and the other 2 cups of water in a small pot along with the rice, salt, soaked mushrooms and garlic.

Bring to a boil and turn down to a slow simmer, place lid on pot and cook until all of the water has been absorbed.

This will take 20 to 30 minutes to cook. Garnish with sliced green onions.

Serve with stir fried veggies and a splash of good soy sauce.

Shiitake mushroom are loaded with vitamin D and according to their ancient folk medicine they also are used to treat heart disease and prevent cancer. This is a recipe that uses dried shiitake mushrooms. These mushrooms may be found in local markets and in Asian food stores. They have a very deep earthy flavor.