The Winter Mushroom on the right that has been ‘modified’ with a few shallow incisions on itscap before the drying process to give the impression of flower shaped fissures. You can tell that the incisions are man-made because the pattern looks too straight and neat. Avoid changing out the soaking liquid too often as it could disrupt the natural flavor profile of the mushrooms over time. In one study, mice fed a low-calcium, low-vitamin-D diet developed symptoms of osteoporosis. In comparison, those given calcium and UV-enhanced shiitake had higher bone density ( 22).

Cut the shiitake mushrooms to allow them to dry faster. You can slice them into ½” pieces or right down the middle, depending on the shape.

Older mushrooms, showing signs of going bad, won’t last as long and may start to smell when exposed to heat while drying. Another reason to dry mushrooms is that drying intensifies the mouth-watering umami flavor of some mushrooms. Other ingredients include garlic cloves, yellow onion, grated ginger, sweet bell pepper, watermelon radishes, and vegetable broth. Drying mushrooms is also the first step in making mushroom powder which is perfect for those who do not enjoy the texture of fresh mushrooms. To prepare dried shiitake mushrooms, first rinse them under cold water, and cover them in boiling water. Cover the bowl with a tea towel to prevent the steam from escaping. They'll expand to twice their size. Drain and slice them, discarding the tough stems, and use them in your recipe. Be sure to save the soaking liquid. It makes a great addition to risottos or the perfect addition to a broth. How To Clean And Prepare Fresh Shiitake Mushrooms For Cooking

Shiitake mushrooms are extremely versatile and can be added to soups, stews, salads, vegetable dishes, ragouts, meat dishes, omelets, and stir-fries. The flavor is typically described as woody or earthy, which limitstheir use in culinary applications but savory dishes can often benefit from the mushroom’s hearty texture. Let the mushrooms sit in the water for 5-10 minutes so that any particles settle at the bottom of the bowl. Now you’ve chosen which dried mushrooms you’d like to cook with, the next thing you need to do is ensure that they are rehydrated. Homemade Brioche Buns: These brioche rolls are perfectly soft and buttery. Not to mention, they are perfect for dipping into soup.If you don’t have all the exact ingredients on hand or if a few of them aren’t compatible with your dietary restrictions, rest assured that you can still enjoy these delicious shiitake mushrooms in soup with a few simple swaps. Feel free to get creative with the toppings, too! There are many fun variations on this dish to serve every palette. Here are a few suggestions:

Baby Bella, Cremini mushrooms, and white mushrooms would all be delicious. You can even make a portobello mushroom soup with this recipe. Dried shiitake mushrooms: This recipe is designed for fresh shiitake mushrooms, but if you want to use dried mushrooms in soup, there are two approaches I recommend. The first option is to soak the dried mushrooms for 8 hours or overnight. There are many methods for Cooking with Dried Shiitake Mushrooms . You can also grind dried mushrooms in a spice grinder, as I do in this delicious Vegan Chili recipe. ¼ ounces of dried, ground mushrooms will work for this recipe. If you go in that route, I would recommend that you use it in combination with fresh shiitake mushrooms for a hearty and creamy soup. Freeze-drying is an excellent way to preserve mushrooms long-term, but freeze dryers can be expensive. This process can be replicated at home quite easily, given a stretch of sunny days. Begin by removing the stems from the shiitake mushrooms. Place them in a colander or any perforated surface, positioning the underside of the umbrella upwards to maximize sun exposure. With just a few simple ingredients and steps, you’ll be well on your way to mastering the art of cooking with shiitake mushrooms. The recipe we’ll be sharing can easily be adjusted to suit your personal preferences or dietary needs, so you can enjoy the wonderful flavors and benefits these mushrooms have to offer.Research by the CSIRO Food and Nutritional Sciences, Victoria, Australia suggests that shiitake mushrooms have anti-tumor properties that help prevent the development of breast cancer. [7] Perfect for vegetarians cooks, this recipe is a super easy store cupboard supper. All the main ingredients are dried, yet this doesn’t take away from the full, delicious flavour. A great way to ease yourself into cooking with dried mushrooms. Shiitake are low in calories. They also offer good amounts of fiber, as well as B vitamins and some minerals.

If you find the cost of a dehydrator prohibitive, you can use your oven instead. Basically, the idea is the same, which is to apply heat to eliminate moisture. Just don’t bake the mushrooms under too much heat or you’ll burn off the healthy compounds or char the mushrooms. The most impressive benefits of shiitake mushrooms includeaiding in weight loss, strengthening the bones, promoting skin health, reducing inflammation, preventing premature aging, improving repair and growth, and boosting circulation, among others. SkinCare

How to Rehydrate Dried Shiitake Mushrooms

For this recipe, you can make broccoli and shiitake mushrooms with delicious tender soba noodles or without the soba noodles. One of our favorite mushroom side dishes is baked shiitake mushrooms (or roasted shiitake mushrooms). After the drying process, store the shiitake mushrooms in airtight containers. Keep the containers in a dark, cool place, and away from direct sunlight. Likewise, never leave the dried mushrooms in the open, or anywhere moist or wet. This way, you can preserve the mushrooms for as long as nine months.