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All About Oyster Mushrooms

Oyster mushrooms are common wild mushrooms that are edible and delicious. From soups to stir fries, oyster mushrooms add texture and flavor to any dish they are added to. 

History of Oyster Mushrooms

Oyster Mushrooms are first said to be commercially cultivated during World War I in Germany as a subsistence measure. After the war, oyster mushrooms  were cultivated commercially worldwide. Now oyster mushrooms can be seen throughout the world in tropical forests.

Appearance Of Oyster Mushrooms

This type of mushroom is called an oyster mainly because its cap is shaped like the shell of an oyster. The mushroom grows sideways on trees or other surfaces and is also slippery in nature, giving it other connotations related to ocean dwelling oysters. 

Image Credit: NatureFriend from Pixabay 

The shape of the oyster mushroom’s cap differs according to its age. When the mushroom is young it looks white or cream and has a soft texture with varied levels of thickness. When the oyster mushroom becomes old, it gets fleshy and slimy.

Flavor Of Oyster Mushrooms

The oyster mushrooms have a slight similarity to anise, or black licorice, in terms of their taste. For some people, the taste of oyster mushrooms resembles the taste of seafood. These mushrooms have a subtle taste and once cooked, they usually absorb the flavors of the dish because they are so mild. 

Culinary Benefits Of Oyster Mushrooms

Even though there are many types of mushrooms available, not all of them are edible. But, the good news is that oyster mushrooms are edible and they taste delicious! Oyster mushrooms can be prepared in many ways. Usually, people like to bake or fry the mushrooms with added spices.

Image Credit: cbrinker19 from Pixabay 

The oyster mushrooms can be widely seen in Japanese, Chinese, and Korean cuisines. If you want to try out a delicious soup, check out this delectable recipe creamy mushroom soup.

If you are a vegan, then you should definitely try out this Vegan Mapo Tofu, which features plenty of oyster mushrooms in an ultra-flavorful sauce. 

Another way is to incorporate oyster mushrooms is to add them to stews and or to simply steam them with soy sauce. And if you are craving some warm, hearty stew, then this recipe for mushroom barley stew might be just the thing you need. 

 Storage Of Oyster Mushrooms

Fresh oyster mushrooms can be stored in low and cold temperatures, preferably in refrigerators, and they can be stored up to two weeks.

Dried oyster mushrooms can be stored in plastic air-tight pouches or containers for up to 6 months if not longer. 

Feature Image: Flickr user Dominic’s pics ( CC BY 2.0 )

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