One of the essential parts of cooking is seasoning. Seasonings are more than just adding pepper and salt to your food. Seasoning adds flavor to your food and makes it more balanced and colorful. Without seasoning, your dish can be bland and not appealing. Seasonings can be spicy, sweet, or savory. If you are looking for delicious food, try mushroom seasoning.
You can make mushroom seasoning from dry shiitake mushroom and salt. Mushroom seasoning is meaty, spicy, nutritious, and good for your health. Mushrooms contain essential amino acids and minerals to make your body healthy.
Here is the process of making mushroom seasoning:
- Dehydrate your mushroom correctly
You should dry your mushroom first before turning it into a nutritious powder. Many people prefer drying their mushrooms by themselves instead of buying already dried mushrooms from the store. It is an excellent method of saving the extra mushrooms in your fridge, and it is cheaper to buy fresh mushrooms than dried mushrooms. You should clean and cut your mushroom into thin slices before drying.
- Place your dried mushroom and salt into a blender or food processor
After your fungi have dried well, you should put them together with salt in your food processor or blender if you do not have a processor. Process them until they become a fine powder. You should pound the mushroom on and off for about 20-25 seconds to break the large pieces and maintain a constant pulse for one minute. You should pulse for a longer time if you are using a blender. Spread your fungi using a spoon in each pulse to ensure all large pieces are completely ground.
- Strain the chunks
Some large pieces might remain in your mixture even after you blend your mushroom thoroughly. You need to use a fine-mesh strainer after mixing. Pour your mixture in the mesh after placing a big bowl to collect the mushroom powder from the mesh. This will help you to manage the large chunks for a second round of grinding. If you use a traditional filter, you might end up losing the mushroom powder through the holes. You should choose a tight woven material to collect your mushroom powder.
- Put the big chunks back in your processor or blender
Regrind the large chunks in the blender or food processor to form a fine powder. Then you can combine them in the large bowl with the other fine mushroom powder, and there you have your mushroom seasoning. You choose to add pepper to your mushroom seasoning.
- Select the suitable storage container
The best way of maintaining the freshness of your mushroom seasoning is by storing it properly. You can keep your mushroom in a plastic container and zip it. However, reserving your mushroom seasoning in an air-tight jar is the best method of storing it to increase its shelf life.
Store your mushroom seasoning away from direct heat and light. If you store your powder mushroom correctly, it can stay fresh longer than fresh mushroom.
You will have a pleasant experience if you use the mushroom seasoning one month after blending the mushroom.
- Use your mushroom seasoning
If you love an extra flavor, you can use your mushroom seasoning in soups, broth, dips, stir-fry, and many other dishes.
Health benefits of mushroom seasoning
Mushroom seasoning has many health benefits regardless of the type of mushroom you use to make it. It helps in boosting heart health. Mushrooms contain compounds that help in lowering cholesterol. These compounds include; sterols that block cholesterol absorption in your gut, beta-glucans, a fiber that lowers cholesterol, and Eritadenine, which inhibits enzymes meant for producing cholesterol. These compounds in shiitake lower cholesterol, helping in reducing the risk of heart diseases.
The glucans in mushrooms play a considerable role in supporting your health system. When you have a healthy immune system, you will have very few health problems. They also improve your energy levels and physical performance. They have a high level of antioxidants essential in fighting free radical damage that can cause inflammation in your body.
Bottom line
Mushroom seasoning is an excellent supplement of adding flavor to non-meat dishes. It is highly nutritious, and you can use it for medicinal purposes. However, consult your doctor before using it as a medicine. Ensure you dry mushrooms well before blending them to powder. They are an excellent alternative to vegans and promote weight loss. You can use the mushroom seasoning in soups, chicken sauces, tofu, and many other dishes.
