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Maitake Mushrooms - Part 2 of 2 |
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The Maitake has a woody taste, a crisp texture with an excellent aroma. It goes well with any kind of cuisine and cooking method.
Mushrooms require precise levels of light and humidity to grow, and Maitake is one of the fussiest species.
Maitake mushrooms grow best when temperatures are between 60˚ and 70˚ Fahrenheit and the humidity levels are between 60 and 65%.
When grown outside, the mushrooms may take up to a year to mature, but those grown indoors may be ready in three to four months, depending on the conditions.
The average Maitake mushroom weighs about 100g and has numerous properties that are said to help improve one’s general health.
Among them are strengthening the immune system, improving skin condition and normalising sugar levels and blood pressure.
Maitake mushrooms are also very rich in Vitamin D and are known to help strengthen the bones and muscles.
Maitake mushrooms are quite popular in Japan and enjoy a special place in the country’s cuisine.
They are regarded as the “King of Mushrooms” and grow in clusters, usually under oak trees and are abundant in north-eastern Japan.
They are commonly used when cooking nabe (hot pot) dishes. It is also used in traditional Oriental medicine.
When buying Maitake, the golden rule to remember is — the smaller the mushroom, the easier to digest and the bigger the mushroom, the harder to chew.
Maitake mushrooms are currently available at all Aeon supermarkets as well as BIG (Ben’s Independent Grocer) in Publika and will soon be making its way to other high-end supermarkets such as Jaya Grocer, Village Grocer, Cold Storage, Aeon BIG, Tesco and Isetan.
They are also supplied to hotels and Japanese restaurants throughout the country.
Source: The Star Online
