How to soften Chinese dried mushrooms

Chinese dried mushrooms, also known as black mushrooms or shiitake mushrooms, release a strong mushroom aroma when rehydrated. Dried mushrooms contain a substance called lentilin, which gives them their distinctive aroma.

Adding them to soups, fried dishes, and stews will significantly enhance the flavor of these dishes. However, before adding them to any dish, they should be softened. Softening not only adds volume but also removes impurities.

Here are some simple steps to follow when softening Chinese mushrooms:

1. Gently rinse dried shiitake mushrooms with cold water to remove any impurities.

2. Place the washed mushrooms in a bowl and pour warm water over them until they're completely covered. It's best to place the mushrooms in a shallow dish. If you place them in a deep bowl, they'll float to the surface and won't soak up the water properly.

3. Soak the shiitake mushrooms in warm water for about an hour or until completely softened. The time required usually depends on the thickness of the mushroom cap. The water temperature should be the same as when you take a bath.

If you're short on time, you can soak dried mushrooms in hot water for 15-30 minutes instead of warm. However, this isn't ideal, as hot water can destroy the mushroom aroma. After soaking like this, you might find that the mushrooms don't smell as good as you'd like.

It's best to soak mushrooms in cold water. This will preserve their flavor and aroma. However, soaking in cold water can take much longer than soaking in warm water.

Sometimes it takes 1-2 hours for the mushrooms to soften, but if you allow 20-40 minutes for this, that will be enough.

Organize your time in the kitchen so that while the mushrooms are softening, you can do some other tasks.


What to do with the water left over from mushrooms?

The mushroom water can be added to soups, rice dishes, and other dishes in which shiitake mushrooms are intended to be added.

Helpful tip:

Typically, only the caps of soaked shiitake mushrooms are used in dishes. The stems are usually cut off. However, there's no need to throw them away. Add them to soups and other mushroom dishes—the stems will add flavor. If you don't want to use the stems right away, you can place them in a plastic bag and freeze them until needed.