Mushrooms in Chinese Cooking

[eatingwitheddie]

Actually I find that the Chinese shiitake can be a great substitute for "wild" mushrooms as they have a much stronger flavor than most of the so-called wild mushrooms we see in the markets and the price can't be beat!

Yes they have a strong and wonderful taste and would be great for a risotto where you want an assertive flavor and aroma. Actually when they are raw they have the most intense perfume. On a few occaisions I was shopping and left the mushrooms in my car. When I returned and opened the door the smell was extraordinary.

[eatingwitheddie]

Have you seen the other Chinese mushroom that has appeared sporadically in some of the NYC Chinese markets? It has a long thick stem, similar to that of a porcini, but a tiny cap. The flavor is mild but the texture of the stem is very similar to that of a porcini. They are widely available in the markets in Shanghai. I liked to cook them with the shiitake. No idea whether or not they have an English name. Elizabeth Schneider does not mention them in her mushroom chapter.

Yes I've noticed them as well and have tried them once or twice. They do seem somewhat like fresh porcini but have a very different and subtler (to me blander) flavor. I found their stems to be quite firm and in need of long cooking. I made a beef stir-fry with them, but I'd be really interested to see how they are typically used in Shanghai. Also I wonder if these mushrooms are found in other Asian countries such as Japan and Korea. Plus I'd love to hear how a botanist would classify them.

[eatingwitheddie]

Have you seen the other Chinese mushroom that has appeared sporadically in some of the NYC Chinese markets? It has a long thick stem, similar to that of a porcini, but a tiny cap.

They are widely available in the markets in Shanghai.

Ruth

I know you just returned from what must have been a very exicitng trip to China.

If you don't mind, would you share some of your food experiences with our readers? Personally I'm interested in:

a) food markets

b) street food

c) memorable things you ate

d) the restaurants you visited and what you ate

e) how well did you eat

f) how much foods and meals cost

g) did you get to do any cooking there

I've been waiting for you to get back!

[Jinmyo]

Have you seen the other Chinese mushroom that has appeared sporadically in some of the NYC Chinese markets? It has a long thick stem, similar to that of a porcini, but a tiny cap. The flavor is mild but the texture of the stem is very similar to that of a porcini. They are widely available in the markets in Shanghai. I liked to cook them with the shiitake. No idea whether or not they have an English name. Elizabeth Schneider does not mention them in her mushroom chapter.

These sound like pleurotus eryngii (Also known as King Oyster, Eryngii, King Trumpet, Pleorote du Panicaut, Argonane, Bouligoule, Champignon de Garrigue, Cardoncello, Cardarello). They're actually a kind of oyster mushroom which is why the flavour is so mild. See here.

[eatingwitheddie]

Have you seen the other Chinese mushroom that has appeared sporadically in some of the NYC Chinese markets? It has a long thick stem, similar to that of a porcini, but a tiny cap. The flavor is mild but the texture of the stem is very similar to that of a porcini. They are widely available in the markets in Shanghai. I liked to cook them with the shiitake. No idea whether or not they have an English name. Elizabeth Schneider does not mention them in her mushroom chapter.

These sound like pleurotus eryngii (Also known as King Oyster, Eryngii, King Trumpet, Pleorote du Panicaut, Argonane, Bouligoule, Champignon de Garrigue, Cardoncello, Cardarello). They're actually a kind of oyster mushroom which is why the flavour is so mild. See here.

Great work Jinmyo, you sleuthed it out! Took a look and these are definitely the mushrooms we've been seeing. The whole spiel about the texture fits perfectly. Thanks.

[torakris]

Have you seen the other Chinese mushroom that has appeared sporadically in some of the NYC Chinese markets? It has a long thick stem, similar to that of a porcini, but a tiny cap. The flavor is mild but the texture of the stem is very similar to that of a porcini. They are widely available in the markets in Shanghai. I liked to cook them with the shiitake. No idea whether or not they have an English name. Elizabeth Schneider does not mention them in her mushroom chapter.

These sound like pleurotus eryngii (Also known as King Oyster, Eryngii, King Trumpet, Pleorote du Panicaut, Argonane, Bouligoule, Champignon de Garrigue, Cardoncello, Cardarello). They're actually a kind of oyster mushroom which is why the flavour is so mild. See here.

Great work Jinmyo, you sleuthed it out! Took a look and these are definitely the mushrooms we've been seeing. The whole spiel about the texture fits perfectly. Thanks.

These eryngii mushrooms are huge in Japan right now. They were introduced about 2 or 3 years ago and they are everywhere now, I really love the texture on these and use them quite a bit.

As to shiitake, these are quite confusing over here, they are all referred to as shiitake even though I have seen at least 5 distinct types.

[Ruth]

A big order Ed. I promise a full account in a couple of days when the jet lag is behind me. The markets, the restaurants and the attitude towards food have all changed so radically since we were last in Shanghai and Beijing twelve years ago that I kept rubbing my eyes and wondering if I was just dreaming. The one amusing change was that no-one is ordering rice in a restaurant. The apparent explanation is that rice is a filler and implies poverty; therefore eating it in public would be embarrassing. On the other hand an automatic rice cooker is standard equipment in an upscale rental apartment and this was also a hot item in shoppers' pre New Year

baskets.

[IrishCream]

A little off topic but...I hope someone can help me...I bought a giant container of dried shitake mushrooms at Costco....a few years ago! That container gives me guilt feelings everyday...I have never opened it. Shortly after buying it, I read that once you open a container like that, bugs will develop. And I still can't think of how to use them all before the bugs come. Are they too old now? Should I just throw them away? Help, please. Catholic guilt sucks.

THIS POST HAS BEEN USED TO START A NEW TOPIC ON THE CHINESE FORUM- Ed Schoenfeld

[eatingwitheddie]

A little off topic but...I hope someone can help me...I bought a giant container of dried shitake mushrooms at Costco....a few years ago!  That container gives me guilt feelings everyday...I have never opened it.  Shortly after buying it, I read that once you open a container like that, bugs will develop.  And I still can't think of how to use them all before the bugs come.  Are they too old now?  Should I just throw them away?  Help, please.  Catholic guilt sucks.

Chances are excellent that your mushrooms are in perfect condition still, and don't worry about what will happen to them once they're open. Just keep them tightly covered and in a dark, dry, place.

Using them is a different story. The mushrooms along with their soaking water making a great flavoring base for a risotto or a mushroom soup. Use them in an omlette just the way you would use fresh mushrooms. They would make a great flavoring for a beef stew or a sauteed chicken dish.

Make sure to soak them until they're quite soft. Traditionally 20-30 minutes in warm water is what's called for, but I often soak them for a day or two or more in cold water. Trim away and discard the stems after soaking, though they do make a great addition to a stock pot.

[IrishCream]

Ahhhh...I feel the guilt lifting just like an Irish sunrise. But what about using them in stir-fries, Chinese cooking? All the recipes I see these days call for fresh Shiitakes.....

[eatingwitheddie]

Ahhhh...I feel the guilt lifting just like an Irish sunrise.  But what about using them in stir-fries, Chinese cooking?  All the recipes I see these days call for fresh Shiitakes.....

They're fine for a stir fry. To work with them press the mushrooms flat in between your hands and squeeze out any extra soaking liquid. Typically you might want to cut them in half -- the classic technique is to hold your knife at a 45 degree angle and cut them on a bias. They should be stir-fired in a little oil along with other vegetables and protein and then sauced/flavored with whatever flavorings you're using for the rest of the dish. If you have a Chinese recipe using fresh shitake (unlikely, they almost always use dried) just substitute the reconstituted ones.

[Louisa Chu]

When you use the soaking liquid - and I also highly suggest you do - take care to leave the sediment or even filter it through a paper coffee filter. And yes, use in Chinese dishes or as you would in any as a wild mushroom.

Would you happen to remember how much you paid at Costco? And how much did you get? Just amazing what they have there!

[IrishCream]

loufood...I am so sorry for not responding to your question. I just never saw it until now. I think I got confused by the thread change. Anyway, the container of Shiitakes I purchased at Costco was 1 pound and cost $9.00. It is a very large container! I have no idea if that is a good price or not. I purchased it over a year ago.

[eatingwitheddie]

loufood...I am so sorry for not responding to your question.  I just never saw it until now.  I think I got confused by the thread change.  Anyway, the container of Shiitakes I purchased at Costco was 1 pound and cost $9.00.  It is a very large container! I have no idea if that is a good price or not.  I purchased it over a year ago.

In NY's Chinatown a pound of very good quality dried shitake is about 10 bucks, more or less. The best quality ones are still up in the 20-30 range but the $10 ones can be truly excellent. For instance they may taste as good but not be of a uniformly large size.

[IrishCream]

Well..I just got out the container which is clear. And yes, they are variable in size. A few are as small as 1.5 inches but most are 3 to 4. But now that I read the fine print, they are a product of Korea. Oh my.

[eatingwitheddie]

Well..I just got out the container which is clear.  And yes, they are variable in size.  A few are as small as 1.5 inches but most are 3 to 4.  But now that I read the fine print, they are a product of Korea.  Oh my.

Korea has good mushrooms. The highest grades have lines and crenallations on the top and are called (in Chinese)

flower mushrooms. These used to be quite expensive and not easy to come by, but are now widely available and much less expensive than 5 or 10 years ago. I suspect they are a different variety of shitake, not just a better grade, and are being more widely cultivated.

[pjs]

The storage trick is to keep them dry. I store mine in a sealed jar with a few recycled desiccant packets--those little paper pillows with the warning on them "Do Not Eat".

PJ

[tissue]

Stuff them with shrimp paste and steam them.

[Ruth]

On the question of dried shiitake do you buy the pale or the dark. Traditionally the large pale shiitake are the most valued and by far the most expensive but ,after long trial and error, I have decided that the darker the mushroom the more intense the flavor. Eddie have you come to a similar conclusion?

[Ruth]

On the question of dried shiitake do you buy the pale or the dark. Traditionally the large pale shiitake are the most valued and by far the most expensive but ,after long trial and error, I have decided that the darker the mushroom the more intense the flavor. Eddie have you come to a similar conclusion?

[mudbug]

I prefer the darker variety for flavor.

IrishCream,

There are plenty of recipes using dried shitake mushrooms out there! Look here.

[Dejah]

Oh Boy! There are so many threads for a newcomer to catch up on!

My favorite recipe for these dried/reconstituted mushrooms is to stir-fry them with oyster sauce and...when I can afford them, abalone! The soaking liquid is perfect to use for simmering before adding the oyster sayce. I usually put blanched romaine lettuce on the bottom of the plate. They are drenched with the sauce...sooo good

[jo-mel]

When I want to use them and don't want to wait 20 minutes for them to soften --- I nuke them in liquid for a couple of minutes. They float at first, but quickly absorb the water.

About the bugs. 24 hours in the freezer is supposed to take care of the critter eggs. Before I heard about bay leaves, the jar I kept the mushrooms in would develope flying moths. But once I heard about using bay leaves, the problem went away. As long as I have bay leaves in everything, I have no problem.

[mudbug]

The brown ones are usually sliced into thin strips and used in hot and sour soup. They're what provide the "crunch" in the soup:

Picture:

http://www.marginalia.org/albums/GungHaggi...d_sour_soup.jpg

[Dejah]

Or in stir-fries.

There are 2 different ones that I use. Mook yee = wood ear is thicker. When dry, it is black on one side and off white on the other. Wun yee is a thinner fungi, black and more transluscent when rehydrated.

I prefer the wun yee stir-fried with lotus root, snow peas, etc.

The white fungi is so pretty in its dry state, like coral or a flower with ruffled petals. I find you have to really rinse them off well as tiny particles get lodged in every crevice.

Cut off the hard orange coloured stem and you can use it in a savory soup with chicken stock, or in sweet soup made with Chinese rock sugar.

Po-Po says this is good for "guen fai"...the lungs