Mushrooms are edible fungi with great taste and amazing health benefits. They are a great source of potassium which helps lower blood pressure. Mushrooms also boost the immune system, may limit the risk of cancer, and aid in weight loss. Adding mushrooms to your diet can seem daunting, especially for people who did not grow up eating them. Here are simple mushroom recipes to try out for first-timers and veterans alike.
Mushroom stir-fry
Cook time: 30 mins
Serves: 4
Ingredients
Carrots – 2 peeled and sliced
French beans – 250 grams halved
Red pepper – deseeded and cut into shreds
Soy sauce – 1 tablespoon
Cider vinegar or red wine vinegar – 1 tablespoon
Garlic – 2 cloves peeled and finely chopped
Ginger – 2 thick slices, peeled and shredded
Sesame oil – 1 teaspoon
Sesame seeds – 1 tablespoon toasted for garnish (optional)
Vegetable oil to coat the pan
Cilantro – fresh for garnish
Directions
Assemble the carrots, French beans ad peppers in separate piles.
Mix the soy sauce and vinegar in one bowl, garlic, and ginger in another, and sesame oil in a third.
Toast the sesame seeds in a small frying pan until they are lightly brown. Mix a little extra soy sauce for extra flavour if you like.
Generously coat the bottom of a pan with vegetable oil and heat before adding the carrots. Stir non-stop for 30 seconds, add the French beans and continue to stir for 2 minutes. Add the peppers then stir for another 2 minutes. Stop stirring as you grind pepper onto it.
Now add the mushrooms, garlic, and ginger. Lower the heat and stir-fry until the mushrooms are al dente.
Garnish with toasted sesame seeds or cilantro and serve immediately with rice or noodles.
Other ingredients that you can also experiment with when making a mushroom vegetable stir-fry are broccoli, sweet beans, and cauliflower.
Mushroom soup recipe
Cook time: 25 minutes
Serves: 3-4
Ingredients
Unsalted butter – 3 tablespoons
Garlic – 2 cloves, minced
Shallot – 1 finely chopped
Cremini mushrooms – 100 grams chopped (slightly more mature version of the common white button)
All-purpose flour – 2 tablespoons
Chicken stock or water – 3 cups
Parsley – chopped for garnish
Salt to taste
Black pepper to taste
Sliced sauteed mushrooms for garnish optional
Directions
Melt 2 tablespoons of butter in a large pot over medium heat.
Add garlic and shallot and cook for 1 minute until they being to soften.
Add mushrooms and cook for about 3 minutes until tender and browned.
Transfer all the contents of the pot to a bowl.
Add 1 tablespoon of butter to the now-empty pot. Once melted, sprinkle flour and whisk into a paste. Switch it off add some of the stock and whisk briskly until it’s fine. This prevents the formation of clumps. Turn on the heat once more then add the rest of the stock whisking intermittently.
Raise the heat to medium and let it simmer for 3 minutes. Add the mushrooms back into the pot and cook for 2 minutes. The stock will thicken slightly and be somewhat creamy.
Let it cook for 3 to 4 minutes then serve in bowls. Garnish with mushrooms and parsley, if desired.
Mushroom curry recipe
Cook time: 50 minutes
Serves: 4-6
Ingredients
Butter – 2 tablespoons
Onions – 2 cups chopped
Garlic – 3 cloves minced
Cumin – 1 teaspoon
Cinnamon -1 teaspoon
Turmeric – 1 teaspoon
Ginger – 1 teaspoon powdered
Mustard seeds – 1 teaspoon
Cloves – ½ teaspoon
Celery – 1 cup chopped
Mushrooms – 700 grams, coarsely chopped
Tomatoes – 400 grams diced and separate the juice or pureed
Green apples – 2 medium cored and chopped
Unsweetened coconut – ½ cup shredded
Honey – 1 teaspoon (to taste)
Fresh lemon juice to taste
Cayenne pepper to taste
Salt to taste
Directions
Melt butter in a large pan.
Add onions and sauté over medium heat.
Add spices and salt once the onions soften.
Sauté for another 5-8 minutes until the onions are completely softened.
Add celery and mushrooms and mix well.
Let it simmer for another 10 minutes or until the mushrooms are cooked, stirring occasionally.
Add ½ cup of water or reserved tomato juice to prevent sticking.
When the celery is tender, add tomatoes, apples, coconut, honey, and lemon.
Cover and let it cook until the vegetables are tender but not overly soft.
Add some water if the pan gets too dry.
Sprinkle cayenne pepper to taste then remove from heat.
Let it stand covered for about 10 minutes then serve
Check out
Lifestyle: Six health benefits of mushrooms
Foods That You Should Try Out To Boost Your Mood And Elevate Your Energy
Lifestyle: 6 Immune Boosting Foods You Should Eat More
