Kansai (Osaka, Kyoto)
Ehōmaki
Fat sushi roll with simmered mushrooms, omelette and cucumber — eaten whole
60 min·4 servings
Dried shiitake mushrooms
Dried shiitake mushrooms, soaked before cooking, with a much deeper, more savoury flavour than fresh ones.
Caution: Shiitake should be cooked thoroughly, as eating them raw or only briefly heated can cause an itchy skin rash in some people.
Dried shiitake are sold in every Asian grocery, often also in organic and health food shops or well-stocked supermarkets, and by mail order; thick caps with a cracked surface are considered the best. Soak them in cold water for a few hours, cut off the tough stems, and use the soaking water as a savoury stock.
Substitute:
Fresh shiitake give the texture but little of the deep, smoky savouriness, and provide no soaking liquid. Dried porcini come close in intensity but taste distinctly earthier and more European.
Used in · 1 recipe