I knew Enoki mushrooms had finally made it to the mainstream in the US when our vegan friend, Mitch, (you can see him in the camping photos with Bill), claimed that he loved this “newfound” mushroom. For me, there is nothing new about Enoki mushrooms (a.k.a. enokitake)––we’ve always loved them! Enoki is the Japanese name for them. We Chinese call them “golden needle mushrooms” (金针菇, jin-zhen-gu) or “lily mushrooms.”
Enoki mushrooms are usually vacuum-packed, in packages of about 7 ounces apiece, and they have a pretty long shelf life when refrigerated. When fresh, the color should be white, and the stems should be firm. Trim away about 1-inch of the roots, give them a quick rinse, and you are ready to go! When used in soups and hot pots, it’s a sidekick, but when blanched (or steamed) and dressed in a yummy sauce, it becomes a main character!
I remember first eating Enoki mushrooms sold in cans or as a condiment in glass jars with chili oil. I instantly took a liking to them for their crunchy texture. It’s hard to fathom something this skinny and mushroom-y giving a hearty veggie-like crunch. But these days, fresh Enoki have become pretty widely available (to Mitch’s credit, it’s true that it was only fairly recently that this has been the case), and it’s most often used in soups and hot pots.
We’re familiar with the vegan struggle through our friend Mitch, but one reader recently commented that he has to scrape our site for vegan recipes. So I decided to post a few vegan recipes to amend the situation, with this Enoki Mushroom with Garlic and Scallion Sauce being the second recipe. The first was my Kung Pao Mushrooms, and there are more to follow!
Even though this is a vegan dish, I can say that it’s just as good as our steamed whole fish! If you were to ask me to rate this dish on taste, texture, simplicity, and health factor, it’s a winner through and through–the fact that it’s a vegan recipe is just a bonus!
You’ll need:
- 2 packs of enoki mushrooms, a total of 14 ounces
- 2 tablespoons oil
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 3 tablespoons light soy sauce
- ½ teaspoon sugar
- 1 scallion, finely chopped
Be gentle when handling these enoki mushrooms. Trim away about 1-inch of the root section.
Use your fingers to tear the enoki mushrooms into small bite size bundles and line them up neatly. Rinse clean and drain.
Prepare a wok with boiling water, and blanch the enoki mushrooms in two batches, cooking each batch for about 1 minute.
Drain off the water and transfer the mushrooms to your serving plate.
In a small saucepan, heat the oil over medium heat. Add the garlic, and cook for about 10 seconds (no need to brown the garlic).
Now add the light soy sauce, sugar, and scallions.
Bring the sauce to a boil, and turn off the heat. Don’t overcook the garlic and scallions–we want that fresh and sweet taste! Slowly pour the sauce over the enoki mushrooms, and serve.
As Ina would say, how easy was that?!
- 2 packs of enoki mushrooms, a total of 14 ounces
- 2 tablespoons oil
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 3 tablespoons light soy sauce
- ½ teaspoon sugar
- 1 scallion, finely chopped
- Be gentle when handling these enoki mushrooms. Trim away about 1-inch of the root section. Use your fingers to tear the enoki mushrooms into small bite size bundles and line them up neatly. Rinse clean and drain.
- Prepare a wok with boiling water, and blanch the enoki mushrooms in two batches, cooking each batch for about 1 minute. Drain off the water and transfer the mushrooms to your serving plate.
- In a small saucepan, heat the oil over medium heat. Add the garlic, and cook for about 10 seconds (no need to brown the garlic). Now add the light soy sauce, sugar, and scallions. Bring the sauce to a boil, and turn off the heat. Don’t overcook the garlic and scallions--we want that fresh and sweet taste! Slowly pour the sauce over the enoki mushrooms, and serve.
Bev says
This recipe looks and sounds delicious! It shows the Cuisine as Chinese, but enoki mushrooms are actually Japanese.
Sarah says
Hey Bev, enoki mushrooms are definitely highly regarded in Japan, but they are also used in Chinese cuisine. In Chinese, they are known as jin zhen gu, 金针菇,or golden needle mushrooms. Different cultures have different ways of using the same ingredients!
Hubert says
Guys it sounds great… Meanwhile I just found enoki in the shop and used it for tom yam soup. Just eating 3rd bowl. It’s absolutely amazing! Love to try your dish. Cheers from Poland
Judy says
Cheers, indeed!
Kayla says
Probably silly question but do I have to use a Wok? We had an electric wok & my mom threw it out a long time ago just found that out (I’m always the last to know). Should I invest in a wok skillet or could I use a regular pan? Thanks. So excited to try this but don’t want to mess it up!~! 🥰😊
Judy says
Hi Kayla, you don’t need a wok, you can blanch mushrooms in a pot.
Tasha says
I can’t believe how tasty and simple this is – I ate the whole batch myself and I have no regrets. I’m from Hong Kong and this reminds me of home. Definitely will be trying out more recipes from your blog. Thank you!
Judy says
Love it that you love it, Tasha!
Jonnie b. says
Hello! Do you think using baby oyster mushroom in place of enoki will work on this recipe? Thanks for a quick reply.
Judy says
Yes, it would work.
Jennifer says
This recipe is SO. GOOD. And SO easy. Thank you thank you thank you!!
Judy says
You are very welcome, Jennifer!
Belinda says
I did it and I added shrimp deliciousness in my table!!!
Judy says
Awesome! So glad you enjoyed it.
FAHIM says
Hi there,
Wait, there’s no way 2 tablespoon Oil and 3 tablespoon light soy sauce can cover 400 grams of Inoki.
And the sauce in the picture seems way more watery, apologies but what am i missing here ?
Regards
Judy says
Hi FAHIM, there will be liquid from the blanching water as well. But definitely feel free to adjust the taste to suit your own preferences.
DMc says
Hey There, are you aware that Pintrest has blocked all links to your site stating it causes “Spam”. . I’m really bummed now that none of my Pins are useless. Please review our spam processes and resolve. Thank you
Judy says
Hi DMC, it was a mistake and Pinterest has since unblocked us. Pinterest is working now.