Meet The Mushrooms

Meet six of the most common mushrooms

You eat and see them almost every day, but how much do you know your mushrooms? Here, meet six variants of the versatile vegetable

Straw
Resembling quail eggs in size, straw mushrooms are more readily available in canned or dried form than in fresh. They go well with almost anything vegetables, meat, seafood—and are often used in stir-fries.

Oyster
Called such because their caps resemble the mollusk of the same name; and there are those who believe they not only share a similar appearance, but also the same smell and flavor. This variety is great for use in quick-cooking dishes like stir-fries.




Button
Button mushrooms are described as meaty and earthy—which may be why they sometimes stand in for meat in vegetarian dishes. Buttons hold up well against flavorful sauces and marinades. This variety includes the popular portobello mushroom.

Tengang Daga or Black Fungus
These mushrooms are most familiar to Filipinos in its dried form. It is commonly used in Chinese soups and noodle dishes. With no distinct taste, it becomes a vehicle for the flavors of the food it is cooked with.




Enoki
Also known as velvet shank mushroom, enokis have a mild, delicate flavor. They are great in salads, as a garnish, or added to soups or stir-fry dishes. Make sure to give enoki mushrooms a quick rinse and trim off their end roots before using.

Shiitake
Native to East Asia and popular in Chinese and Japanese cuisines. Their too tough stalks are usually discarded, leaving only the cap usable for cooking. As with herbs, dried shiitakes pack more flavor than the fresh kind.


Photography by Ocs Alvarez │ Styling by Melanie Jimenez

• Jane Nov 04 2010 @ 06:39pm Report Abuse

     

  where can I buy fresh button mushrooms?
• Mavs Sep 30 2010 @ 09:05am Report Abuse

     

  Thanks for featuring this. I love mushrooms and I use button mushrooms in my garlic mushroom bruschetta. At least I know now how I can use the other varieties in other dishes.