Wild mushrooms were abundant where I used to live as a young girl. We would either put them on top of the rice while steaming or just saute them. It was a simple dish that’s fresh and delicious. But what I didn’t know what that the health benefits of oyster mushrooms are quite a lot. It’s good for weight loss, too.
Childhood Memories of Wild Oyster Mushrooms
Gathering wild oyster mushrooms after a thunderstorm were a part of the adventures of my youth. Wearing rubber boots, I would carry a pail and go out with my grandfather in the morning in search for these fungi that have sprouted under trees. We were careful to pick the right kinds–because there are other poisonous kinds of wild mushrooms.
Afterwards, we would bring them home for my grandmother to prepare for lunch. Sometimes when there’s not much harvest, the mushrooms just end up steamed on top of the rice. That frees up my grandmother from more kitchen work. If there’s a lot, then she would saute them with garlic and ginger and seasoned with a little salt.
- Related: Why Family Meals are Important
Cooking the mushrooms fresh after picking has created lots of warm memories in my heart as well as my palate. Yes, a lot of my memories are associated with flavors and aroma of food. With the mushrooms, some fond memories with my paternal grandparents and my grandmother’s simple way of cooking dishes.
Health Benefits of Oyster Mushrooms
I eat mushrooms because I liked the flavor, aroma, and texture. But what I didn’t know was that, it is packed with nutrients that are good for the health. Here are some of the health benefits of oyster mushrooms.
- Rich in protein and fiber.
- Contains the minerals iron, zinc, potassium, phosphorus, and selenium.
- A rich source of calcium and folic acid.
- Has Vitamins B1, B3, B5, and B12.
- Also contains Vitamins C and D.
- It is an awesome diet food because it’s fat-free, cholesterol-free, gluten-free, and low in calories.
Source: Medicinal Mushrooms, by Christopher Hobbs (1995)
Simple Oyster Mushrooms Recipe
Except for the cooking oil, this is pretty much a very simple yet healthy dish or fiber side dish for your meal.
Ingredients:
- Cooking oil
- Crushed garlic
- Sliced ginger
- Oyster mushrooms, cleaned and sliced
- Salt
Procedure:
- Saute the crushed garlic and sliced ginger in oil. Stir-fry for a minute only. Do not brown or it will taste bitter and alter the taste of the mushrooms.
- Add the mushrooms and stir.
- Season with salt to taste. Cover for a few minutes then stir again.
- Cook until wilted. Can be served as a side dish for any fried or steamed dishes. You can also add some oyster mushrooms in your shabu-shabu hotpot.
To better enjoy the health benefits of oyster mushrooms, steam it with salt, garlic, and ginger. That way, you eliminate the cooking oil,
Where to Get Cultured Oyster Mushrooms
Gathering wild oyster mushrooms can be tedious as well as unreliable. You have to wait for a thunderstorm to find some. But nowadays, many people are growing cultured oyster mushrooms. It can be a big business or just a sideline that you can do at home.
In Bacolod City, I got mine from an online supplier. Will update this post if I find more suppliers.
A 250-gram pack is only P70.
Oyster Mushrooms Suppliers in Bacolod
Analie Joy Alegro-Soriaga
Gardenville Subd., Bacolod city, Negros Occidental
Mobile: (0916) 2138423
Email: analiejoya22@gmail.com
You may add her on Facebook. She also sells Kiddie Momma products.
Other recipes
Meanwhile, here are some other recipes that you might like to try this weekend.
- Cha Misua | Chinese Birthday Misua Recipe
- Easy Boneless Lechon Belly Recipe for the Family
- Balut Recipes for the Craving Mama
- Kitchen Hack: Baked 40-Clove Garlic Chicken Recipe (Modified)
- Cooking with Crab Fat Paste (Aligue)
- Creamy Baked Scallops with with Sliced Potato Recipe
Is there a way to identify the poisonous ones? I’m a bit hesitant to try other kinds of mushroom other than the canned ones. My parents didn’t allow me to eat any kind when I was still in San Carlos. There was one time all their co-Rotarians were hospitalized after eating poisonous mushrooms. My parents were spared because they came to the event late.?
I love button mushrooms cooked in butter and garlic. I hope to try other kinds of mushrooms also, esp after reading about their health benefits here.?
Wow! Dami palang health benefits ng Oyster Mushroom ma. Didn’t know more about it kasi usually canned mushrooms lang yung niluluto ko. Never ko pa na-try yung ibang types ng mushrooms. Mukhang masarap yan ma, try ko din ‘tong recipe ma. Thanks for sharing!