Enoki Mushrooms

Also indexed as: Velvet Shank Mushrooms

Enoki_Mushroom.jpg

Enoki mushrooms have a mild, delicate flavour, and are often used in Asian cooking.

The enoki mushroom, also called the velvet shank, has long, slender white stems, with tiny caps. Wild and cultivated enoki mushrooms grow in small clusters on live or dead tree trunks. Cultivated enoki mushrooms are paler in colour than wild enoki mushrooms. These mushrooms have a mild, delicate flavour, and are used extensively in Asian cooking.

Varieties

Most commercially available enoki mushrooms are the pale white cultivated variety.

Buying and storing tips

When purchasing fresh enoki mushrooms, select mushrooms with firm, white, shiny caps. Avoid purchasing enoki mushrooms with slimy or brownish stalks. Enoki mushrooms keep up to 14 days in the refrigerator if stored in a paper bag.

Availability

Fresh and canned enoki mushrooms are sold in Asian food markets and some specialty markets.

Preparation, uses, and tips

Before using enoki mushrooms, rinse them thoroughly and trim off the roots at the base of the cluster. Enoki mushrooms can be eaten raw or cooked. Add them to salads, sandwiches, soups, pasta sauces, and stir-fried rice and vegetable dishes. To retain the delicate flavour of the mushrooms, add them at the end of the cooking process.

Nutritional Highlights

Enoki mushroom (raw), 1 large (5g)
Calories: 1.7
Protein: 0.12g
Carbohydrate: 0.35g
Total Fat: 0.02g
Fiber: 0.13g

Health benefits and concerns

Health benefits and concerns for vegetables
Many health benefits and concerns associated with this food are applicable to other vegetables. Read about health benefits and concerns for vegetables for a full description.