Chinese Edible Mushrooms - Shiitake, Phallus Indusiatus, Hericium Erinaceus, Auricularia Auricula-Judae, Tremella Fuciformis (Paperback)

Purchase includes free access to book updates online and a free trial membership in the publisher's book club where you can select from more than a million books without charge. Chapters: Shiitake, Phallus Indusiatus, Hericium Erinaceus, Auricularia Auricula-Judae, Tremella Fuciformis, Volvariella Volvacea, Cloud Ear Fungus, Hericium Ramosum, Dacryopinax Spathularia, Tremella Aurantialba, Tremella Frondosa, Gloeostereum, Chinese Mushroom, Wood Ear, Straw Mushroom. Excerpt: Auricularia auricula-judae Auricularia auricula-judae A particularly well developed example. Auricularia auricula-judae (syn. Auricularia auricula, Hirneola auricula-judae ) is a fungus, commonly known as Judas's ear fungus or Jew's Ear, the name from which it derives the "judae" in its scientific name, or as the jelly ear fungus . It was said that Judas hanged himself on an elder tree, which is the origin of the name. The term 'Jew's Meat' was a deprecatory term used for all fungi in the Middle Ages Snow fungus, another edible fungus which is white in color, is a separate species, Tremella fuciformis . Description This jelly fungus is conspicuously ear shaped, ranging from purple to dark brown or black in color with a rubbery texture, and most often found on dead elder trees but also on elms . Use Cooking This species is used often in Asian cooking . In Chinese, it is called (pinyin: m r, lit. "wood ear" or "tree ear") or (pinyin: h i m r, lit. "black wood ear"), and in Japanese it is called kikurage (, lit. "tree-jellyfish"), and in Vietnamese it is called n m tai mo (cat's ear fungus) or m c nh . Auricularia polytricha (cloud ear fungus), a closely related species, is also used in Asian cooking. One recipe is to collect it while still soft, wash it thoroughly and cut it into thin slices. The prepared slices should be stewed in stock or milk for around three-quarters of an hour, and then served with plenty of pepper. The result is crispy and sultry like seaweed. Complementary medi...