Mushrooms are called "kinoko" in Japanese. Various mushrooms are used in the Japanese cuisine. Some of the most popular ones are introduced below.
1. Shiitake are one
the most popular mushrooms in Japanese cooking, and are also well known
outside of Japan. They are available fresh or dried, with the latter
being soaked in water before being used. Shiitake mushrooms can be found
in various dishes such as nabe (hot pot) dishes, boiled dishes and tempura
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| 1. Shiitake |
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| Shiitake in packaging |
2. Maitake
mushrooms are another very popular mushroom in Japanese cuisine. They
grow in large colonies and are sometimes referred to as the king of
mushrooms.
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2. Maitake
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| Maitake Recipe |
3. Bunashimeji is another very popular, cultivated mushroom.
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| 3. Bunashimeji |
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| Bunashimeji in packaging |
4. Matsutake are
highly priced gourmet mushrooms, that cannot be cultivated and are
available only in autumn. They are found under pine trees (matsu), and
are most valuable when picked just before surfacing with the umbrella
still closed. Matsutake are enjoyed in various ways such as grilled or
cooked with rice.
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| 4. Matsutake |
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| matsutake ready to cook |
5. Enoki is a cultivated mushroom with a crunchy texture that is often used in hot pot dishes.
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| 5. Enoki |
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| Enoki Mushroom & Bacon Kushiage |
6. Hiratake is the
Japanese name for oyster mushrooms. There are many cultivated varieties
of hiratake, some of which look quite differently from each other.
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| 6. Hiratake |
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| Fried Hiratake |
7. Eryngii is large
type of oyster mushroom that is popular in Japan. Its thick, meaty stem
is usually sliced and incorporated into sauteed or grilled dishes.
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| 7. Eryngii |
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| Eryngii Farm |
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