Mushrooms, the Recognized Longevity Vegetable
Mushrooms have long been hailed as the "longevity vegetable" because they are rich in protein, various vitamins, and minerals, while being low in fat and calories, making them a perennial favorite among the public. However, nowadays, the market offers an increasing variety of mushrooms, and the best ways to prepare them differ. Here, we recommend the best cooking methods for several types of mushrooms, teaching you to prepare a nutritious, delicious, and health-promoting mushroom banquet. Stewed meat with dried mushrooms, and braised bok choy with fresh mushrooms. The aroma of shiitake mushrooms is captivating, they can benefit the stomach, and they also have anti-cancer properties. The most common shiitake mushrooms on the market are mainly of two types: dried and fresh.
Mushrooms are the recognized longevity vegetable
Dried shiitake mushrooms have a rich aroma and are suitable for cooking with meat. Chicken absorbs the flavor most easily. Stewing chicken with dried shiitake mushrooms allows the mushrooms to enhance the chicken's flavor and remove any gamey taste, resulting in the best taste. Before cooking dried shiitake mushrooms, they need to be soaked in warm water (30°C-40°C) for 20 minutes. Do not discard the soaking water; adding it when stewing the chicken will make the flavor even more fragrant. Fresh shiitake mushrooms are not as intensely flavored as dried ones and have a refreshing taste, making them suitable to pair with vegetables. Braised bok choy with fresh mushrooms combines the fresh, smooth texture of the mushrooms with the tender, crisp green of the bok choy, creating a dish that is perfect in color, aroma, and taste. Straw mushrooms are suitable for stir-frying.
Straw mushrooms can relieve summer heat, lower body temperature, nourish yin, and promote the production of body fluids. Straw mushrooms are best stir-fried to minimize the destruction of vitamin C. Before adding them to the wok, make a cross-shaped cut on the cap of the fresh straw mushrooms to help them absorb flavor. Then, slice the mushrooms and stir-fry them over high heat for 10 minutes, adding salt, MSG, soy sauce, etc., to better retain their natural umami. Oyster mushrooms are suitable for stir-frying or making soup. Oyster mushrooms can dispel wind and cold, and relax muscles and tendons. Their texture is tender and fresh, making them ideal for simple stir-fries.
Just add a little green onion, ginger, and salt for seasoning. Additionally, oyster mushrooms can be used in an egg drop soup. Add a little chopped garlic for seasoning after turning off the heat for an even fresher taste. Enoki mushrooms are suitable for cold salads. Enoki mushrooms are delicious, contain a complete range of amino acids, and can promote children's intellectual development, earning them the nickname "intelligence mushroom."
The most common way to prepare enoki mushrooms is in a cold salad. Before mixing, it is best to boil them for more than 6 minutes to avoid food poisoning. Tree ear mushrooms and king oyster mushrooms are suitable for stir-frying. Fresh tree ear mushrooms are fragrant and delicious and can be stir-fried with green beans. King oyster mushrooms have a meaty and tender texture; for example, the "Three-Color King Oyster Mushroom" stir-fried with snow peas and ham is a classic dish. Button mushrooms are most suitable for making soup.
Button mushrooms have a relatively mild flavor. Cooking them with fresh pea sprouts creates a soup with a lighter, fresher texture. It should be noted that when cooking, try to cut the mushrooms into smaller pieces, as their fiber is not easily digestible.