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Dried ingredients (mushrooms, shrimp) should be soaked in hot water until soft. Certain varieties will require cleaning and re-hydration in hot water until very soft. Once re-hydrated they can then be removed, drained, and cut as desired. The liquid often is used as a substitute for water or soup stock. The use of this water enhances rather than dilutes the flavor. To clean dry ingredients they may be soaked in cold or lukewarm water until sufficiently expanded for thorough washing, while any unwanted parts (the tough stems of mushrooms) can be cut away. Occasionally squeezing and drying the ingredients following their removal from the water is necessary when only the flavor itself is desired in the final cooked dish.
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