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Native to Eastern Asian forests of China, Korea and Japan, Shiitake mushrooms have been harvested in this region for more than 1,000 years. The earliest recording of these delightful mushrooms dates to Japan’s Emperor Chuai’s reign of 199 AD.
Pronounced she-TAH-kay, these mushrooms were first imported into our country from Japan. Shiitake mushrooms have a wonderful culinary reputation without being a huge drain on your wallet. These are also typically a great starter mushroom for the novice dried mushroom connoisseur. Most mushroom lovers actually prefer dried shiitake mushrooms over fresh. The savory flavor of the dried version is more pronounced due to the drying process which also breaks down the mushroom’s proteins and converts them to valuable amino acids. They’re also packed with vitamins and minerals (including B vitamins, calcium and potassium) and many believe they are also natural immune boosters. Our Organic Shiitake Mushrooms are harvested in China and these top quality dried mushrooms have a wonderfully rich and smoky flavor. We only sell the mushroom caps as in Asian cuisine the stems are rarely used as they possess less flavor and take longer to cook than the fleshier caps. It takes more than 5 lbs of fresh mushrooms to produce 1 lb of dried mushrooms. This is the reason that these may seem so expensive at first glance when compared to fresh shiitakes – but the quality is well worth it. There are approximately 15 dried shiitakes per ounce. Long considered a delicacy in Asian cuisine these are called for in many Chinese, Japanese, Korean, Vietnamese and Thai recipes from umami sauces and soups to spicy stir fries. With huge caps these mushrooms also make a wonderful addition to your homemade casseroles, gravies, pasta and stew recipes. The Japanese in particular hold the shiitake mushroom in high regard as it is the most commonly consumed mushroom in that country and the dried version is called for most frequently in recipes. . There are two methods to constitute this all purpose mushroom. Version 1 – cover with warm water, wine or stock. We like to give to jazz up the flavor of these by adding a little soy sauce as well. Bring to a boil, remove from the heat and cover. Let cool for 30-40 minutes. Drain off excess liquid and your good to go. Helpful hint – we like to save the drained liquid for use in future sauces and soups. Version 2 – add to a simmering dish 15 minutes before serving. We like to pair our dried shiitake mushrooms with Asian greens, eggplant, garlic, noodles, rice, Thai chiles, Tien Tsin chiles and soy sauce. We also like to grind these into a powder and add to our eggs or make an infused olive oil. If you’re more familiar with porcini mushroom powder than you are with shiitakes the best way to describe the difference between the two is that porcini mushroom powder is more sophisticated with a stronger aroma while shiitake powder is more intense and provides a heartier flavor. |
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