Best Asian Fungus Types
Even though small in size, these Japanese mushrooms are packed with vitamins and minerals. With a short white stem and a copper-colored cap, they typically grow in tiny clusters and are usually found in oak and beech forests in Asia. The caps of these small mushrooms are covered in a layer of natural gelatin, which gives them a unique, almost shiny appearance.
It is this coating that differentiates nameko mushrooms from other varieties and gives them a unique and peculiar texture. They have a mild, slightly earthy flavor and a nutty aroma. The most popular dish made with nameko is the legendary Japanese miso soup, in which the gelatinous texture of the mushrooms perfectly matches the rich, slightly salty taste of the soup.
Enokitake are long and thin mushrooms with tiny caps on one end, characterized by their mild, slightly fruity flavor and an unusual visual appearance. The mushrooms are commonly used in numerous Asian dishes, particularly in the cuisines of Japan, China, and Vietnam.
Their crispy texture makes them ideal for dishes such as nabemono and sukiyaki, but enokitake are also often used in soups, salads, and stir-fries. The mushrooms are very easily cultivated and are grown in clusters. Rich in antioxidants, enokitake can be found either fresh or canned in numerous Asian stores.
Straw mushrooms (lat. Volvariella volvacea) are a type of edible mushroom from China that are cultivated in East and Southeast Asia. These mushrooms are recognized for their pink spore print and are commonly grown on rice straw beds. They are often referred to as paddy straw mushrooms and are praised for their agreeable flavor and versatility in cooking.
In terms of texture and flavor, straw mushrooms have a creamy texture and a mild, nutty flavor, making them a popular addition to soups, stir-fries, and curries in Asian cuisine.
Matsutake are extremely expensive Japanese mushrooms characterized by a strong, distinctive, and aromatic odor. They are always gathered by hand, found under fallen leaves near pine trees, hence the name matusutake, or pine mushrooms in Japanese.
The mushrooms are gathered from the end of September to the middle of November. It is said that matstutake have a spicy and fruity scent, with a hint of cinnamon. Traditionally, they are cooked with a light seasoning in order to fully appreciate their flavor.
Snow fungus (lat. Tremella fuciformis) is a species of fungus that has a white, nearly translucent, gelatinous texture and is commonly used in Chinese cuisine and traditional medicine.
Because of its appearance, it is also known as silver ear fungus, white wood ear, or white jelly mushroom. In Chinese cuisine, snow fungus is prized for its slightly crunchy texture and its ability to absorb flavors. It is often used in sweet dishes and soups, like the dessert soup yin er tang, which is made with snow fungus, goji berries, and rock sugar.
Yartsa gunbu is the most expensive fungus in the world. Also known as Himalayan Viagra and many other names (such as summer grass, winter worm in Tibetan), this fungus is a parasite that infects ghost moth caterpillars, which live at altitudes between 3,000 and 5,000 m.
In the late summer, the caterpillars shed their skin, making them vulnerable to the fungus, which digests the inside of the larvae and kills/mummifies it. In the spring, the body shoots out of the caterpillar's head. The fungus supposedly has numerous benefits – it can treat asthenia, arrhytmia, night sweats, hyperlipidemia, erectile dysfunction, asthma, bronchitis, coughs, and tumors, among others.
TasteAtlas food rankings are based on the ratings of the TasteAtlas audience, with a series of mechanisms that recognize real users and that ignore bot, nationalist or local patriotic ratings, and give additional value to the ratings of users that the system recognizes as knowledgeable. TasteAtlas Rankings should not be seen as the final global conclusion about food. Their purpose is to promote excellent local foods, instill pride in traditional dishes, and arouse curiosity about dishes you haven’t tried.