Heat butter in a frying pan over medium-high heat. Once the butter melts, add shimeji to the pan and cook for 2 minutes. Add garlic into the pan, mix well and cook for 30 seconds. Add soy sauce, salt, and ground white pepper.
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Shimeji mushrooms … difficult to pronounce but delicious to eat. Their deep umami flavor and wide versatility in cooking make up for the initial challenge of trying to pronounce the name of these wonderful mushrooms.
A Little Background
Native to eastern Asia, shimeji mushrooms are in fact not one type of mushroom but a group of edible mushrooms with more than 20 varieties. They have long stems and tiny round caps. The three most common types used in Japanese food are bunapi-shimeji, buna-shimeji, and hon-shimeji.
Hon-shimeji is challenging to grow but the other two are currently cultivated extensively in the United States, Canada, Australia, and Europe.
White Shimeji Recipe Japanese
You may know shimeji mushrooms by their more common name “beech mushrooms” – referred to in this way due to the fact that they typically grow on fallen beech trees. The buna shimeji mushroom is known as the brown beech or brown clamshell mushroom, whereas the bunapi shimeji is called the white beech or white clamshell mushroom.
They are also found growing in northern Europe where they are referred to as pioppino mushrooms. Check out the article The Best Way To Cook Pioppino Mushrooms on this site for links to recipes with an Italian twist.
What Are The Health Benefits of Shimeji Mushrooms
Shimeji mushrooms are a superb source of nutrients but must be cooked in order for us to be able to access their nutrients.
Buna-shimeji or the brown beech mushroom provides a significant source of B vitamins (pantothenic Acid, riboflavin, and thiamin), as well as potassium, zinc, and copper. They are low in calories and fat, and are high in dietary fiber and protein. They’re cholesterol-free and sodium-free. They also contain beta-glucans which boost immunity and may help fight cancer.
A study conducted in Japan concluded that beech mushrooms (along with maitake and king trumpet) help lower plaque deposits in the arteries.
Lastly, shimeji mushrooms contain glutamic acid, guanylic acid, and aspartic acid, which are the sources of their umami flavors.
![]() White Shimeji Mushroom Recipe
I explain more about umami in this article Umami Flavor: Your Guide To Making Your Own With Mushrooms.
Where Can I Buy Shimeji Mushrooms?
Readily available year-round now, shimeji mushrooms are commonly sold in a cluster in a sealed cellophane bag.
You have the very best chance of locating them at an Asian supermarket, although with the increasing popularity of mushrooms in general, stores such as Whole Foods might also carry them.
Do I Need To Wash Shimeji Mushrooms?
Commercially grown shimeji mushrooms are generally kept quite clean when growing. So all you need to do in order to prepare them for cooking is cut off the base of the cluster, separate the stems, and gently rinse them.
Can I Eat Them Raw?
Shimeji mushrooms tend to have a bitter taste when raw so eating them that way is not recommended. Cooking improves the taste, taking away the bitterness and leaving in its place a mild nutty flavor with a lightly sweet taste. Cooking them also increases the bioavailability of the nutrients and the ease with which they can be digested.
What Are The Differences Between The White And The Brown Beech Mushrooms?
There is a slight difference in the taste of the white beech vs. the brown beech mushrooms. The brown ones have a more intense “mushroomy“ or umami taste, whereas the white ones tend to have a slightly sweeter taste when cooked.
How To Use Shimeji Mushrooms
Use these delicious mushrooms in all the same dishes you’d use white button, oyster, enoki, or cremini mushrooms. They go well with stir-fries, noodle bowls, soups, omelets, and stews. I love combining several types of mushrooms in one dish to get even more mushroom goodness and umami flavor.
Why not add them to a mushroom broth? Check out this delicious recipe for The Ultimate Comfort Food: Medicinal Mushroom Broth.
Shimeji really shine when simply stir-fried and eaten as a side dish. I was inspired by this recipe here and the one in the video below but I created my own variation that you’ll find below.
I had 3 different types of mushrooms in my fridge last night so I made the following side dish. I never measure ingredients for a stir-fry. I just eye-ball the ingredients based on how much I know I’m going to eat. It’s not accurate, I know, but you know your appetite and that of your eaters better than I do.
Ingredients:
Preparation:
Directions:
An Easy Stir-Fry With 3 Types of Mushrooms
Japanese cooks Noriko and Yuko at Japanese Cooking 101 demonstrate this tasty and super easy sauteed mushroom recipe.
White Shimeji Recipe Filipino![]() FAQShould I Buy Organic or Conventional Shimeji Mushrooms?
You’ll find both organically-grown and conventionally-grown shimeji mushrooms in stores. In general, mushroom growing is done without added pesticides or fertilizers. So therefore, it’s the origin and composition of the substrate (growing medium) used to grow the mushrooms that determines whether or not it is organic.
For example, one of the largest growers of shimeji mushrooms in the U.S., the Hokto Kinoko Company, grows all of their mushrooms according to U.S. certified organic standards on organic non-GMO rice bran and corn bran.
Can I Grow Shimeji Mushrooms Myself?
If you can’t find shimeji mushrooms in your local area or you’re game to take on a fun home growing project, you can definitely grow them yourself.
In Canada, shimeji grow kits are available from MushroomKit.ca.
I haven’t been able to find any shimeji or beech mushroom grow kits in the U.S., but if you want to grow them from scratch, Root Mushroom Farm sells brown beech liquid culture.
>> Check price on Amazon for brown beech liquid culture
Then, check these articles on this site for instructions on growing from scratch.
Growing Mushrooms: A Beginner’s Guide
What Mushroom Growing Supplies Will You Need For Your Home Growing Adventure? Mushroom Grow Chamber: Complete Guide To Building Your Own Final ThoughtsWhite Shimeji Recipes
I’ve just recently discovered shimeji mushrooms and I’m so glad I did. I love having another tasty and nutrient-dense food item to vary up my cooking. What will you be making with your shimeji mushrooms?
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An excellent Source of Nutrition
Bunashimeji is not only flavorful but also high in nutrition. A single package of Bunashimeji provides a significant source of Pantothenic Acid (15% RDV), Riboflavin (15% RDV), Thiamin (10% RDV) and Potassium (8% RDV). It is also cholesterol and sodium free in addition to low in calories.
High in
Low in
* RDV – the recommended daily value based on a 2,000-calorie diet. / Serving size: 3.5 oz (100g)
White Shimeji Recipe IngredientsOther Nutrients & What are they?
Mushrooms are the only produce that contains Vitamin D.
According to The National Institutes of Health (NIH), Vitamin D is a nutrient that is important for promoting overall health and is especially important in developing and maintaining strong bones.
Taste / Flavor
Bunashimeji is a very popular mushroom in Japan. It is called “Beech Mushrooms” because they often grow on fallen beech trees. Wikipedia Shimeji/ Hypsizygus tessellatus
Bunashimeji has a nutty, buttery flavor, and a firm, crunchy texture. These mushrooms also grow in clusters and produce tender caps. Our Brown Beech mushrooms have been formulated to lessen the bitterness of traditional Bunashimeji. Still, western palettes will probably best enjoy Brown beech mushrooms after cooking, which mellow the flavor. Try this specialty mushroom baked, steamed, or sauteed in olive oil.
Hokto’s Kinoko is Clean and Ready-to-Cook
Eat Bunashimeji in clusters or individually separated. Simply trim off the base of the cluster and they are clean and ready-to-cook. Hokto’s kinoko do not need to be washed or rinsed because they are cultivated in a soil-free, clean environment and are 100% USDA Organic. To get the most out of Hokto’s Kinoko, always cook them before consuming. Our kinoko should not be served raw.
How to prepare BunashimejiRemove the base
First, separate the mushroom into two halves (image 1), then cut the base off creating the letter 'V', making sure not to cut off any part of the mushroom that is edible (image 2). Make sure to pick Bunashimeji with thick stems.
Chop Bunashimeji up for greater umami
It is best to separate and chop up Bunashimeji to maximize its umami. When cooking a soup, add the mushrooms before the water boils, this will allow for the release of its maximum flavor.
Don’t over chop your mushroom
Separate the mushrooms into halves, remove the base, and start cooking! Feel the crispy texture, and even if you overcook the mushroom, it will not become soggy.
Separate before cooking
It is usually best to separate Bunashimeji into a bite-size portions making it easier to cook and eat. In addition, by separating them individually, you will increase the volume of for a dish.
Bunasimeji RecipesFrequently Asked QuestionsQ.Why are the mushrooms bitter? Should I be concerned?
A.
In the wild, Bunashimeji mushrooms have a strong bitter taste, but Hokto mushrooms are developed to be less bitter. In rare occasion, some people still can taste a little bitterness, this is due to the compound Polyphenol, which has been known to be a beneficial nutrition.
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