Description: Simple but delicious shiitake mushrooms. This can be canape, finger foods or appetiser. 
Serves: 10 pieces
Cooking time: 10 minutes

Ingredients

• Shiitake mushrooms (alternatively chestnut mushrooms) – 10 pieces or 200g
• Garlic – chopped in fine pieces, 2 cloves
• Olive oil – 1 tablespoon
• Dried chili – chopped, 1 piece
• Salt – 1 dash
• Black pepper – 1 dash
• Parsley (dry) – 1 teaspoon

Method

1. Remove the mushroom stems and cut into small pieces.
2. Heat the olive oil in a large non-stick frying pan, then add the garlic, chilli and over low heat for 1 minute, stirring regularly. 
3. Add the shiitake mushrooms, salt, pepper and parsley to the pan and grill until it’s cooked for a few minutes.

Nutritional Values Per Serving

Kcal	Protein	Fat	Carbs	Fibre	Sugars	Salt	Saturated Fat	Vitamin B2	Vitamin B3	Vitamin B6
40.3	2.5g	0.5g	8.1g	2.7g	2.6g	0.2g	Trace g	0.2mg	3.9mg	0.3mg
2.0%	5.0%	0.7%	3.1%	9.0%	2.8%	3.7%	Trace %	20.6%	30.2%	27.7%

Nutritional Tips

Shiitake mushrooms are common mushrooms in East Asia. It is used for many different kinds of dishes such as soup (miso soup, egg soup), roasted mushrooms, hotpot, mixed with meatballs, mixed with minced meat steak. In addition, shiitake is often used to extract dashi. Shiitake is low in calories (34 kcal/100g according to USDA). Therefore, it is widely eaten in East Asia as a healthy ingredient, including for type 2 diabetes and weight control. Shiitake mushrooms are rich in vitamin Bs.

Shiitake mushrooms are also sold as dried and they can be used for soup, dashi, and simmered dishes as both a part of ingredients and seasoning (traditional Japanese dish). Japanese shiitake mushrooms tend to be thick caps while others tend to be thinner. I personally love Japanese shiitake mushrooms as their caps are thick, it is very juicy when cooked. In Japan, we call that part umbrella (Kasa: 傘). Interestingly, the Japanese call pizza crust “ear (mimi: 耳)”.