Fried Mushrooms (enoki and oyster mushrooms)

Welcome to a mouthwatering vegan delight: ultra crispy deep fried mushrooms!

With a crispy exterior giving way to tender, slightly chewy goodness within, these mushrooms are a true delight for all palates.

This simple 30 minutes recipe incorporates a lot of clever tricks to guide you in making an ultra-crispy, vegan-friendly outer layer that elevates the humble-tasting mushrooms to a new level.

Let’s dive into the kitchen and become masters of fried mushrooms!

Tips for Making Fried Mushrooms

1. Choice of Mushrooms

Most types of mushrooms can be deep-fried. In this recipe, I used enoki mushrooms and oyster mushrooms, but you can also choose shiitake mushrooms, button mushrooms, Beech mushrooms, and more. It’s essential to adjust the frying time based on the size of each type of mushroom; for instance, enoki mushrooms fry quickly, while button mushrooms may take longer.

My general rule is to select fresh and clean mushrooms, eliminating the need for washing before cooking. Do not wash your mushrooms before deep frying as they can quickly absorb water, resulting in a soggy texture when fried. Instead, if you notice any dirt or debris on the mushrooms, simply wipe them clean using a damp paper towel.

2. Grow Mushrooms at Home

It was my first attempt on growing mushrooms. I used a mushroom kit, and I must say, it was an incredibly enjoyable and fulfilling experience.

The kit I bought online included spawn (mycelium) already planted on a log, along with detailed instructions. All I needed to do was misting the log with water several times a day. After approximately a week, I noticed the emergence of cute small mushrooms. Another week passed, and they were ready for harvest.

The homegrown mushrooms were very fresh and clean, I could immediately use them to make deep fried mushrooms without washing.

3. Crispy Batter for Fried Mushrooms

If you want your fried mushrooms to have a light and crispy coating, even after they get cold, there are 4 important tips:

1. Use a combination of flour and cornstarch in a 1:1 ratio: The flour provides structure and helps the coating adhere to the food, while the cornstarch contributes to a lighter, crispier texture. Together, they create a balanced coating that is neither too heavy nor too dense.
2. Add baking powder: The carbon dioxide bubbles released by the baking powder during frying create tiny pockets in the batter. As a result, the fried mushrooms can develop a lighter and delicate texture exterior.
3. Do NOT add eggs: Eggs can make the batter thicker and denser, causing the fried food to absorb more oil during cooking. Without eggs, the batter remains lighter, resulting in less oil absorption and a lighter and crispier texture when fried.
4. Use ice cold water: Using cold water inhibits the formation of gluten strands in the batter. Gluten development can lead to a denser and chewier texture of the exterior.

4. Double Frying Technique

In the initial frying stage, we fry the mushrooms coated in batter at 170℃/340℉ for a few minutes until they are fully cooked (floating on the oil’s surface and displaying a light golden hue). Subsequently, we let the fried mushrooms to cool on a rack for several minutes, allowing the coating to solidify and firm up slightly. Following this, in the second frying stage, we fry the mushrooms at 190℃/375℉ until they attain a golden brown color and reach maximum crispiness.

Double frying helps to achieve a crispier texture on the outside of the mushrooms. The first fry cooks the mushrooms through, while the second fry crisps up the exterior, and removes any residual oil that may have been absorbed during the first fry, resulting in a lighter and crispier texture.

5. Some extra tips for frying enoki mushrooms

Cut off the root ends of the enoki mushrooms, ensuring not to remove too much. It’s important to keep the ends of the enoki mushrooms attached to each other to prevent them from falling apart during deep frying.

Dip each cluster of enoki mushrooms into the batter, allow any excess batter to drip off before frying. Enoki mushrooms could absorb excess batter, which can result in an overly thick outer layer when fried, so it’s important to remove any excess batter before frying.

Using chopsticks, grasp the root end of the enoki mushrooms and carefully submerge the other end into the hot oil. Gently shake the mushrooms in the oil to allow the stems to separate, ensuring they do not stick together. Once separated, release the mushrooms into the oil. This technique creates a visually appealing, peacock-like shape and ensures that each stem is evenly fried to a crispy perfection.

EQUIPMENT

• Measuring cups and spoons
• Deep fryer pot (A regular pot also works!)
• Cooling rack

INGREDIENTS  

• 500 g mushrooms (I used 150g enoki mushrooms – by removing the roots from a 200g package of enoki mushrooms; and 150g oyster mushrooms.)
• ¾ cup all purpose flour
• ¾ cup cornstarch (can also use potato starch)
• 1 tsp baking powder
• ½ tsp salt
• 1 cup ice-cold water
• 1 tbsp vegetable oil
• oil for frying (I used vegetable oil. You can also use canola oil.)
• dipping sauce (¼ cup of spicy mayo + 1 tbsp lime juice)

INSTRUCTIONS 

1. Trim the base of the enoki mushrooms and separate them into small bundles. Clean the oyster mushrooms by wiping them with a damp paper towel. Trim off any tough stems and tear them horizontally into smaller pieces or leave them whole, depending on your preference.

2. Mix together flour, cornstarch, baking powder, and salt in a bowl. Gradually add ice-cold water and 1 tbsp vegetable oil, whisk until you get a smooth batter with a consistency similar to pancake batter.

3. Heat the oil in a deep pot over high heat until it reaches 170℃/340℉. Once achieved, reduce the heat to medium.

4. Take each mushroom and dip it into the batter, ensuring it’s evenly coated. Gently shake off any excess batter by lightly shaking the mushroom over the bowl. Then, carefully lower the mushrooms into the oil, one by one. It’s important not to overcrowd the pot, so fry them in batches. Allow the mushrooms to fry for a few minutes until they attain a light golden color on all sides.

5. Once fried to perfection, remove the mushrooms from the pot and transfer them to a cooling rack to drain any excess oil. Repeat the process, dipping and frying the remaining mushrooms until they have all been deep-fried once.

6. Heat the oil in a pot over high heat until it reaches 190℃/375℉. Once achieved, reduce the heat to medium. Return the first batch of fried mushrooms to the hot oil and fry them for about 30 seconds or until they become crispy. Be cautious not to overcook them. Once they are done, remove them from the oil and place them on a cooling rack to drain any excess oil. Repeat this process with the remaining mushrooms until all have undergone the double frying process.

7. Serve hot with your choice of dipping sauce. I’d like to mix about ¼ cup of spicy mayo with the juice from half a lime. You may also enjoy it with tempura dipping sauce or ketchup.

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