Shiitake, or shiitake mushrooms, also known as golden mushrooms, Chinese mushrooms, black forest mushrooms or oak mushrooms, are a delectable edible mushroom that is native to East Asia. The food is cultivated and eaten in various Asian countries. In addition, it is dried and exported to many countries across the world. Each world cuisine used black forest mushrooms in one way or the other. The mushroom is a special feature of various Asian cuisines including, but not limited to Chinese, Japanese, Thai, Korean and Vietnamese.
Since the ancient times, shiitake mushroom has been considered a delicacy as well as a food with many medicinal properties.
History
Shiitakes are native to Japan, China and Korea and in these regions, the mushrooms have been grown since the prehistoric times. For over 1,000 years, the mushrooms have been cultivated and used in cooking and making medicines. The first ever written record of the use of the shittake is found in texts dating back to the Sung Dynasty era, i.e., AD 960-1127, in which China-born Wu Sang has been credited as the first official cultivator of oak mushrooms.
To being with, these mushrooms were solely a food but during the Ming Dynasty, Wu Juei, a famous physician, wrote that the food could also be used as a medicine, mainly for treatment of poor blood circulation, liver problems, weakness, respiratory diseases and exhaustion.
As the word spread, other Asian nations started acknowledging the benefits and taste of the mushrooms, which were then cultivated in Japan, Korea and other nations.
Appearance and Flavor
Shiitake is generally brown in color and can grow up-to 1 foot in diameter. Usually, however, the mushrooms are cultivated to a size of 3 to 6 inches only. The texture of the cap is slightly leathery and cracker when the mushrooms are young and the stem is soft. As these age, the stem becomes hard and the tops become chewy and soft. Although the entire mushroom is largely edible, the stems are usually not cooked but pickled.
In itself, the flavor of the wild shittake mushroom is smoky, woody and savory. It is slightly meaty and has a rich scent.
Culinary Uses
Dried and fresh shittake has been an important part of the East Asia cuisine since the ancient times. Most often, the mushrooms are sauteed to make popular dishes like Buddha's Delight. In Japan, oak mushrooms are served in miso soup, used as an ingredient in various simmered and steamed delicacies and also used as a base of various varieties of vegetarian dashi.
As shittakes are mostly dried and sold in packages as preserved food, these have to be rehydrated before use by soaking them in water. Dried Chinese mushrooms are often preferred over fresh as the former is considered more flavorful.
Shittakes have today become popular in various other countries and many regions have started cultivating the mushrooms locally. In Russia, for example, the mushrooms are produced and consumed in large amounts and also used in preparation of various local delicacies. Pickled shittake mushrooms are very popular in the West, particularly in Europe.
Buying and Storing
Fresh shiitake can be easily purchased from grocery stores and kept for up-to two weeks in the fridge in a brown paper bag. The dried variety is, however, even easier to obtain and can be purchased in stores and online as well. Dried mushrooms are usually stored in refrigerators in a dry glass jar with a tight fitting lid.
Health Benefits
Scientific studies have determined that shitake has various health benefits and can be successfully used as a medicinal fungus. The mushrooms have high fiber and antioxidants contents and it has been suggest through research that regular consumption of black forest mushrooms can help prevent cancer. Shiitake mushrooms are also high in vitamin C and iron and supposedly boost the immune system. Also, regular consumption can help lower bad cholesterol levels.
Trivia
Up until 1972, the USDA kept confusing shiitake with Lentinus lepideus, an invasive species of mushrooms and that greatly affected the cultivation of oak mushrooms in the country. Once the USDA realized their mistake, the cultivation and importation of the mushrooms started but that pushed the country back by quite a few years as compared to others.