How to cook shiitake mushrooms?

Shiitake are often used in pan-Asian cuisine to prepare a variety of dishes. In shape, these mushrooms resemble champignons, but their texture is denser and firmer texture, along with a distinct mushroom aroma. Their hats are often added to food — the legs are too stiff. Small mushrooms are more delicate, and large ones have a richer taste and aroma. Dried shiitake mushrooms are the most commonly available, as they are easily transported and stored without compromising their nutritional properties. Today, we will share with you how to cook shiitake mushrooms so that you can fully appreciate their wonderful flavor!

How to cook dried shiitake mushrooms — simple steps

Before cooking dried shiitake mushrooms, they need to be pre-processed. For this, it is necessary to go through several simple stages.

1. Rinse the mushrooms under running water to get rid of possible contamination.
2. Pour water so that it completely covers the mushrooms, boil for half an hour and leave for about 8 hours, preferably overnight, so that the mushrooms become tender.
3. Drain the water, slightly squeezing the mushrooms, but do not pour it out — it is a great base for soups, sauces and stew.
4. Add mushrooms to the chosen dish.

Methods of cooking shiitake mushrooms

Often, those who are familiar with the basics of oriental cuisine are interested in the question: how long do you need to cook shiitake mushrooms? In fact, it all depends on the way they are prepared. There are several options for their heat treatment.

1. One of the options for how to cook shiitake mushrooms is to fry them with spices and onions for 10 minutes on medium heat. At the same time, you need to stir them from time to time with a wooden spatula, but you should not cover them with a lid. It is important to remember that before frying mushrooms, they should be boiled for 30 minutes and soaked for 8 hours. Fried mushrooms are used in different ways:

• Served as a side dish to meat and fish dishes.
• Used as a filling for rolls.
• Used as a filling for casseroles and stuffed fish.

2. How to cook shiitake? Very easy! Boil them in a 3:1 water-to-mushroom ratio for 40 minutes, then let them soak for 8 hours before draining in a colander. Mushrooms in this form can be used for the following dishes:

• Marinating them with vegetables to create cold snacks.
• Adding them to various salads.

3. How long to cook shiitake mushrooms if they are part of a multi-component dish? So that the mushrooms are not firm, they must always be boiled and soaked. It is worth adding them 7-10 minutes before the end of cooking. Shiitake is a very common ingredient in many Asian dishes.

• These mushrooms are often prepared using the stir-fry technique — they go well with vegetables and meat.
• Shiitake will be an excellent filling for noodles, especially glass noodles.
• These are traditional ingredients of many soups; in addition, the water in which they were soaked can be used to make a wonderful broth or sauce.

4. Also, dried shiitake can be chopped and, without soaking, added to soups and sauces to provide a characteristic taste and aroma.

Now you know how to cook dry shiitake mushrooms, and you can surprise your family with new dishes.