''Shimeji'' ( Japanese: , or ) is a group of

edible mushroom Edible mushrooms are the fleshy and edible fruit bodies of several species of macrofungi (fungi which bear fruiting structures that are large enough to be seen with the naked eye). They can appear either below ground (hypogeous) or above ground ...

s native to

East Asia East Asia is the eastern region of Asia, which is defined in both geographical and ethno-cultural terms. The modern states of East Asia include China, Japan, Mongolia, North Korea, South Korea, and Taiwan. China, North Korea, South Korea ...

, but also found in northern Europe. ''Hon-shimeji (

Lyophyllum shimeji ''Lyophyllum shimeji'', commonly known as the hon-shimeji is an edible species of fungus in the family Lyophyllaceae that grows in pine forests, often near man-made roads. It is found in Japan, Sweden, Finland and Estonia. Ecology ''Lyophyllum ...

'') is a mycorrhizal fungus and difficult to cultivate. Other species are saprotrophs, and ''buna-shimeji'' ('' Hypsizygus tesselatus'') is now widely cultivated. ''Shimeji'' is rich in umami-tasting compounds such as guanylic acid,

glutamic acid Glutamic acid (symbol Glu or E; the ionic form is known as glutamate) is an α-amino acid that is used by almost all living beings in the biosynthesis of proteins. It is a non-essential nutrient for humans, meaning that the human body can syn ...

, and

aspartic acid Aspartic acid (symbol Asp or D; the ionic form is known as aspartate), is an α- amino acid that is used in the biosynthesis of proteins. Like all other amino acids, it contains an amino group and a carboxylic acid. Its α-amino group is in the pr ...

Species

Several species are sold as ''shimeji'' mushrooms. All are saprotrophic except ''Lyophyllum shimeji''. ;Mycorrhizal * ''Hon-shimeji'' (), ''

'' :The cultivation methods have been patented by several groups, such as Takara Bio and Yamasa, and the cultivated ''hon-shimeji'' is available from several manufacturers in Japan. ;Saprotrophic * ''Buna-shimeji'' (, lit. beech shimeji), '' Hypsizygus tessellatus'', also known in English as the brown beech or brown clamshell mushroom :''Hypsizygus marmoreus'' is a synonym of ''Hypsizygus tessellatus''. Cultivation of ''Buna-shimeji'' was first patented by Takara Shuzo Co., Ltd. in 1972 as ''hon-shimeji'' and the production started in 1973 in Japan. Now, several breeds are widely cultivated and sold fresh in markets. * ''Bunapi-shimeji'' (), known in English as the white beech or white clamshell mushroom :''Bunapi'' was selected from UV-irradiated ''buna-shimeji'' ('hokuto #8' x 'hokuto #12') and the breed was registered as 'hokuto shiro #1' by Hokuto Corporation. * ''Hatake-shimeji'' (), '' Lyophyllum decastes'' * ''Shirotamogidake'' (), '' Hypsizygus ulmarius'' : These two species had been also sold as ''hon-shimeji''. * '' Velvet pioppino'' (alias velvet pioppini, black poplar mushroom, Chinese: /), '' Agrocybe aegerita''

Shimeji health benefits

Shimeji mushrooms contain minerals like potassium and phosphorus, magnesium, zinc, and copper. Shimeji mushrooms lower the cholesterol level of the body. This mushroom is rich in glycoprotein (HM-3A), marmorin, beta-(1-3)-glucan, hypsiziprenol, and hypsin therefore is a potential natural anticancer agent. Shimeji mushrooms contain angiotensin I-converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitor which is an oligopeptide that may be helpful in lowering blood pressure and reducing the risk of stroke in persons having hypertension. Also rich in polysaccharides, phenolic compounds, and flavonoids. Therefore, inhibits inflammatory cytokines and oxidative stress and protects from lung failure. These compounds also help in reducing oxidative stress-mediated disease through radical scavenging activity hence these mushrooms are antioxidants also.

Cooking

Shimeji should always be cooked: it is not a good mushroom to serve raw due to a somewhat bitter taste, but the bitterness disappears completely upon cooking. The cooked mushroom has a pleasant, firm, slightly crunchy texture and a slightly nutty flavor. Cooking also makes this mushroom easier to digest. It works well in stir-fried foods like stir-fried vegetables, as well as with wild game or seafood.https://foodthesis.com/shimeji-mushroom-health-benefits-and-side-effects/ Also, it can be used in soups, stews, and in sauces. When cooked alone, Shimeji mushrooms can be sautéed whole, including the stem or stalk (only the very end cut off), using a higher temperature or they can be slow roasted at a low temperature with a small amount of butter or cooking oil. Shimeji is used in

soup Soup is a primarily liquid food, generally served warm or hot (but may be cool or cold), that is made by combining ingredients of meat or vegetables with stock, milk, or water. Hot soups are additionally characterized by boiling soli ...

s, nabe and takikomi gohan.

References

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External links

Honshimeji Mushroom
RecipeTips.com. Brown Beech (Buna shimeji), White Beech (Bunapi shimeji), and the Pioppino (Agrocybe aegerita) mushrooms. Edible fungi Fungi in cultivation Japanese cuisine terms Fungi of Asia Fungus common names

Species

Shimeji health benefits

Cooking

See also

References

External links