The main star of this dish is the dried black mushrooms ( shitake mushrooms ). They are frequently speckled. These mushrooms range in price from moderate to the more expensive.The more expensive ones are called ???flower mushrooms??? as they have a thick cap and nice curl. However, the cheaper ones are perfectly good for use in soup and stir fries. This is a very popular vegetarian dish in our family, traditionally served on the first day of Chinese new year. It???s simple to cook and the mushrooms add their own special flavour to this dish. It???s also one of my hubby???s favourite!