Golden Enoki Mushrooms
Estimated Inventory, 20 ct : 0
Description/Taste
Golden Enoki mushrooms are small to medium in size and have long, thin stems topped with rounded, convex caps. Growing in tightly packed bouquets, the small caps of the Golden Enoki mushroom are light to dark brown, smooth, firm, and delicate. The thin stems are flexible, velvety, pale gold to ivory, and connect to the cap with tiny, dark orange-brown gills. Golden Enoki mushrooms are tender and crisp with a crunchy bite and a mild, fruity, and peppery flavor.
Seasons/Availability
Golden Enoki mushrooms are available year-round.
Current Facts
Golden Enoki mushrooms, botanically classified as Flammulina velutipes, are one of the top cultivated varieties in Asia and are members of the Physalacriaceae family. Also known as Enokitake, Velvet Foot, Golden Needle, Lily mushrooms, Enoko-take, Jingu in Chinese, Nim Kim Châm in Vietnamese, and Paengi Beoseot in Korean, Golden Enoki mushrooms are cultivated in the presence of sunlight to give them their golden-brown hues but are grown without abundant oxygen to keep the stems elongated and the caps small. Golden Enoki mushrooms can also be found in the wild, growing in clusters on trees, preferring the Chinese hackberry tree, persimmon, ash, and mulberry tree. The mushroom’s appearance in the wild is much different from the cultivated varieties as they are larger with a wider cap, are sticky, velvety, and have an earthier flavor. Golden Enoki mushrooms are highly favored in Asian cuisine for their year-round availability and their soft but crunchy texture popularly added to soups, stir-fries, and salads.
Nutritional Value
Golden Enoki mushrooms contain copper, vitamin B6, potassium, magnesium, calcium, iron, dietary fiber, and zinc. They are also known to have anti-inflammatory properties and are excellent immune system boosters.
Applications
Golden Enoki mushrooms are best suited for both raw and cooked applications such as simmering, blanching, and boiling. Before consuming, the ends should be trimmed, the mushrooms should be washed, and any slimy stems should be discarded. The delicate, crunchy texture of Golden Enoki mushrooms can be served fresh in salads with other raw vegetables, lightly sautéed and added into stir-fries and noodle dishes, blended into beef rolls, vegetable pancakes, mixed into omelets, risottos, curries, sushi, or even in spring rolls. They are most commonly used in hot pot soups, added in for texture, but they can also be blanched in a soy sauce-based mixture and served as a main dish. Golden Enoki mushrooms pair well with Thai basil, garlic, onions, green onions, ginger, bok choy, broccoli, green beans, cucumber, carrot, tomato, papaya, coconut, bamboo shoots, miso, sesame oil, rice vinegar, soy sauce, meats such as chicken, tofu, beef, and pork, eggs, seafood, somen or soba noodles, rice, and cheddar cheese. They will keep up to one week when stored in a paper bag in the refrigerator. When foraging for Enoki mushrooms, it is vital to consult with an expert before consuming any wild species as the Enoki has an appearance similar to the deadly galerina mushroom.
Ethnic/Cultural Info
Enoki mushrooms have been cultivated for hundreds of years and are prized in Chinese, Japanese, and Korean cuisine and traditional medicine. In China, Enoki mushrooms are rich in vitamins and minerals and are believed to help reduce symptoms associated with intestinal issues, blood pressure, and liver disease. In Japan, Golden Enoki mushrooms are a traditional ingredient in Japanese sukiyaki, which is a hot pot dish served with thin slices of meat and fresh vegetables that are often cooked at the dinner table. In Korea, Golden Enoki mushrooms are often used with other chopped vegetables and eggs to make a vegetable pancake that is coated in flower and fried.
Geography/History
Golden Enoki mushrooms have been growing wild since ancient times in Eastern Asia, with many experts dating it back to at least 800 BCE. The variety was first cultivated in Japan for its long stem, nutrients, and crunchy texture, and in recent years it has increased in popularity in global markets. Today Golden Enoki mushrooms are found at supermarkets, farmers markets, and specialty grocers in Asia, Europe, North America, and Australia.
Recipe Ideas
Recipes that include Golden Enoki Mushrooms. One
is easiest, three is harder.Podcast
