Mushrooms – fruit or vegetable? How about neither! Most people think of them as a vegetable, but they are classified as a fungus. Sounds pretty gross. But did you know mushroom are super healthy and have many of the nutrients our bodies need to function? They help manufacture antioxidants, which can reduce cell damage and are a great source of vitamins essential for cell growth and development. Scientific research is uncovering more and more information about the health benefits of mushrooms – including very encouraging developments regarding memory loss!
I met the wonderful folks at Highline Mushrooms during the Southeast Produce Council Southern Innovations show in Charlotte, NC. Their spirit and enthusiasm about what they do is so contagious, I wanted to share one of their many amazing recipes. You can also see more recipes with mushrooms in the Where The Food Comes From Cookbook.
Crispy Thai Garlic Mushrooms
Ingredients
- 8 ounces Highline White Mushrooms, thickly sliced
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch
- 3 tablespoons plain flour
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- 1 cup vegetable oil
- 5 garlic cloves, crushed
- ½ teaspoon red chili flakes
- 2 teaspoons crushed ginger
- 2 tablespoons soy sauce
- ½ tablespoon rice wine vinegar
- 1 tablespoon sriracha sauce
- 1 teaspoon brown sugar
- sesame seeds, for garnish
- green onions, for garnish
- red Thai chili, for garnish
- white sticky rice, for serving
Instructions
- In a bowl, add 1 tablespoon cornstarch, 3 tablespoons flour, and ½ teaspoon black pepper. Add water a little bit at a time while stirring until a thick batter is formed.
- In a pan on high heat, add 1 cup of vegetable oil and heat.
- Coat the mushrooms on each side with batter. Deep fry the mushrooms in the hot oil for 8 minutes, flipping the mushrooms over halfway.
- In a medium bowl, add 5 cloves of crushed garlic, ½ teaspoon chili flakes, 2 teaspoons ginger, 2 tablespoons soy sauce, ½ tablespoon rice wine vinegar, 1 tablespoon sriracha, and 1 teaspoon brown sugar. Mix well.
- In a nonstick pan, add the mushrooms and sauce. Cook on high heat and stir well for 2 minutes.
- Plate with rice and garnish with red chili, sesame seeds, and green onions.
Enjoy!
About the Author
Highline Mushrooms was founded in 1961 in Leamington, Ontario as a small family farm. Founder Dr. Murray O’Neil set the bar for a focus on family values, excellence, innovation and work ethic. Since then, Highland has grown to be the world’s largest grower of organic mushrooms – and one of the largest mushroom growers in North America, shipping to Canada, the U.S. and Japan. Highline’s commitment to quality, sustainability and innovation delivers one of nature’s most-perfect superfoods to tables around the world.
