Shiitake Mushroom

Also known asShiitake · Lentinula edodes · 香菇 · 冬菇

Name: Shiitake mushroom (Lentinula edodes) — a brown, umbrella-shaped mushroom with a firm, tan-brown cap, often with white cracks, and a tough, woody stem. The Japanese name means “shii mushroom,” from the shii tree it grows on. Dried shiitake are also known as donko or xiang gu.

Description

Shiitake is native to East Asia and has been eaten in China and Japan for more than a thousand years. It was one of the first mushrooms to be cultivated, on logs of oak and shii trees, and is now the second most widely grown mushroom in the world. China is the largest producer.

Fresh shiitake have a meaty, smoky, savoury flavour, and dried shiitake are even more concentrated, with rich umami from guanylate, which works with other flavours. Soaking liquid from dried shiitake is a classic flavouring in East Asian soups, stews and dashi.

Main nutrition value

Shiitake provide B vitamins, copper, selenium, zinc and fibre, plus ergothioneine and beta-glucan (lentinan), and can provide vitamin D when exposed to sunlight or UV light.

How best to be consumed

Shiitake should always be cooked, with the tough stems removed.

1. Remove the woody stems, which can be saved for stock, then slice the caps.
2. Sauté, roast, grill or stir-fry until golden and tender.
3. Soak dried shiitake in hot water for 20 to 30 minutes, then use the mushrooms and strained liquid in soups, braises and rice.
4. Add to noodle soups, dumplings, hot pots and risotto.
5. Cook thoroughly, since raw or undercooked shiitake can cause problems.

Overconsumption could cause…

Shiitake are safe when cooked, with a few specific points.

1. Shiitake dermatitis, an itchy, streaky rash that appears in some people after eating raw or undercooked shiitake, which is avoided by cooking well.
2. Allergic reactions or digestive upset in some people, and stomach discomfort from the fibre (chitin) and sugars in mushrooms in large servings.
3. Mushroom poisoning from mistaken identification of wild fungi, some of which are deadly and look very similar to edible kinds, so never eat wild mushrooms unless an expert has identified them.
4. Possible interactions of concentrated extracts with medicines, such as blood thinners.

GroupsMushroomsFungi (mushrooms)Low fatLow sodiumJapaneseFresh

Related foodsEnoki MushroomShimeji MushroomOyster MushroomChanterelle MushroomWhite Button MushroomMaitake Mushroom

Wikipedia — Shiitake, used for origin, naming and history: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shiitake