White Umbrellas

Though mushrooms in India are mostly cultivated,the chef’s personal preference lies with the rather expensive organic varieties from Europe,for their sharper flavour,despite the imperfect shapes and sizes.

Chef Luise admits that although the nutritional value of mushrooms is limited to high water content and minerals,it is their strong flavour and texture that lends beautifully to various cuisines. “They taste best when cooked whole,unless,of course,the mushroom is too big to be served whole,” the chef adds. While each mushroom variety requires different treatment,there are a few basics,says Chef Luise,which should be kept in mind while working with them. “Never leave them in water for too long. And if you have frozen them,cook them in the same state,or they’ll turn black,” he says.

When preparing mushrooms,he recommends cooking them all on a high temperature for a short time till they turn golden and add salt only at the end,so that it doesn’t drain out the water content. “The other enemies of mushroom are vegetables such as capsicum and tomatoes,as they kill its flavour.

The best friends are onions,garlic,parsley and white wine.”

Here’s the guide:

TRUFFLES

Availability: Considered among the best and rarest variety of mushrooms,truffles are extremely expensive and used only as a garnish. Imported black truffles are available in India and those from France are considered the best. However,white truffles are rarer,since they grow only for a few days every year.

Taste: Very strong flavour and aroma that lingers till the meal ends.

Cleaning tips: A special brush is used to dust off the soil.

Best had: Raw,with truffle oil added to enhance the flavour.

MORELS

Availability: The French love them and the Italians don’t,but morels are the spongiest in texture and hence difficult to handle. This also makes them,like truffles,among the more unique variety.

Taste: Considered to have the smokiest flavour among mushrooms,they are often served stuffed with a variety of cheeses.

Cleaning tips: Because of their unique shape,they carry sand in their crevices. This makes it tough to clean them completely. However,the French don’t mind sand in their morels.

Best had: Stuffed with cheeses or prepared with cream. Complements white wine very well.

GIROLLES

Availability: Though available round the year,sun-dried girolles are imported mostly on request. They too are priced high and the Scottish variety is considered the best.

Taste: Girolles have a smoky flavour and grow in families.

Cleaning tips: Require delicate cleaning with a wet cloth,although the dried variety is already processed and cured.

Best had: Pan-fried and served alongside a main course of chicken and pasta,since they offer a welcome deviation in terms of taste.

ENOKI

Availability: A cultivated variety,enoki is often seen in restaurants across India,but rarely recognised in the raw.

Taste: They taste as delicate as they look and are considered better to look at than to taste. It is said that they were introduced in cooking to replace parsley.

Cleaning tips: Since they grow as a bunch,merely cutting off their base makes them usable.

Best had: As an ingredient to salads and carpaccios and garnished with extra virgin olive oil. They are a common ingredient in Oriental cuisine.

PORTOBELLO

Availability: These massive mushrooms are now cultivated in India round the year,and are relatively inexpensive.

Taste: They lack a sensational flavour and that makes them compatible with all kinds of foods.

Cleaning tips: A good wipe with a wet cloth is enough.

Best had: Chopped and added to pastas,grills and stews.

OYSTER

Availability: Not uncommon; you are likely to find oyster mushrooms in your salads and stir-fries. However,only the dry variety is available in India for now.

Taste: It is not among the most flavourful of mushrooms,but oyster is used to enhance the taste of any dish. The juicy,spongy texture soaks in flavours,which burst in the mouth upon biting into it.

Cleaning tips: The dry variety is already processed.

Best had: Oven-baked or grilled,and topped with extra virgin olive oil.

SHIITAKE

Availability: Despite being vastly produced,shiitake is again only available in the sun-dried form in India.

Taste: Since it grows on old trees,it has a woody flavour and is not easy to digest.

Cleaning tips: Easy to handle,it merely needs a wash or wet wipe.

Best had: Added to stews or stuffed.

BUTTON

Availability: The most common variety in India,button mushrooms can be purchased even from your local grocer.

Taste: Button mushrooms are the easiest to handle but lack an aggressive flavour.

Cleaning tips: A wash under flowing water.

Best had: Fried with butter or stuffed. Also try frying with onions to top bruschetta.