Can You Freeze Enoki Mushrooms?
Enoki mushrooms are one of the most popular varieties of mushrooms that are used in many cooked foods. Mushrooms are not something that can be had raw, you need to blanch or stream them before eating. The same is the case with Enoki. They are long and thin white stalks with tine caps that are a main ingredient in Asian cuisine.
The mushrooms are widely used to make soups, hot pots, noodles, braises, and more. You can also add them to rice or ramen for an enhanced flavor. Enoki is also known as lily mushrooms, snow puff mushrooms, or golden needle mushrooms.
You can store enoki in the fridge for a maximum of one week or two weeks in airtight packaging. However, the packaging alone does not do the trick, you also have to clean the mushrooms before storing them. But have you ever thought of keeping them for longer? Can you freeze the mushrooms?
Yes, you can freeze Enoki mushrooms. This way they can be stored for longer. Freezing mushrooms is a great way of preserving them for later use. It also means you have a ready supply of mushrooms in the freezer, and you can use them anytime for cooking. Read on to know more.
How To Freeze Enoki Mushrooms?
How to freeze Enoki? When it comes to enoki mushrooms, there is only one possible way of freezing them. And in fact, this is the best way to freeze mushrooms for longer, if you are freezing them raw. It is also not a tough job to freeze enoki mushrooms.
Check out the 3-step approach to freezing enoki mushrooms effectively.
- Use a brush to clean the raw enoki of all the dirt. Also, remove the bad enoki (how to tell if enoki mushrooms are bad) from the batch of fresh mushrooms. Make sure you check all the mushrooms are fresh, otherwise, they will not freeze well.
- Take a sharp knife and carefully cut the roots of the enoki. This is because the roots are not suitable for freezing, so it is better to chop them off before freezing the mushrooms. Also, if you notice clumps in the mushrooms, separate them.
- Transfer the enoki into freezer-safe ziplock bags. If you have a lot of mushrooms, portion them into small batches and use different bags. Remove all the air from the bags and seal them securely. Stack them into the freezer and the mushrooms are ready to freeze.
You can freeze the enoki mushrooms for about 4-5 months in the freezer when you follow proper freezing techniques. If you cannot separate the Enoki clumps, it would be better if you flash-freeze them for about an hour before freezing. Also, if you do not wish to store raw mushrooms, you can also blanch them.
How To Choose Mushrooms For Freezing?
Enoki mushrooms are comparatively more delicate than other varieties of mushrooms. This is because of their small structure. These mushrooms are also mild and have a chewy nutty flavor. Mushrooms tend to show color changes when exposed to air for a long time.
Therefore, you need to select enoki mushrooms carefully for freezing. Choose fresh mushrooms that are dry and firm for freezing. And reject mushrooms that have turned soggy and undergone color changes, as they are likely to degrade soon. Also, do not forget the cut the roots of the enoki before they are frozen.
How To Defrost Frozen Mushrooms?
Defrosting mushrooms is quite easy. All you have to do is remove the frozen mushrooms from the freezer and place them in the refrigerator overnight for freezing. It is important that you allow the mushrooms to defrost slowly, do not rush the process, otherwise, the mushrooms will show texture alterations.
Once the enoki has defrosted completely, remove the excess water, and your mushrooms are ready to cook or use in any recipe. You might notice slight texture changes in your mushrooms, but that is still edible because you are going to cook the mushrooms anyway.
How To Use Frozen Mushrooms?
You can use frozen mushrooms in a lot of cooking recipes.
Enoki mushrooms can be used to make soups, salads, and hot pots. But use the mushrooms only after they have been defrosted properly.
Also, keep in mind that enoki does not take very long to cook, it cooks quickly, so make sure you do not overcook the mushrooms.
What Are The Health Benefits Of Mushrooms?
Enoki mushrooms come with a lot of health benefits, which makes them a healthy meal option. This is because these mushrooms are low in calories and high in protein. Not only this, they contain complex carbohydrates, dietary fiber, iron, selenium, phosphorus, and more which are good for health. The mushroom is also used to make traditional medicine because of its medicinal properties.
Enoki mushrooms also have anti-inflammatory properties that help improve the immune system and are beneficial for blood pressure and cholesterol in the human body. Besides, these mushrooms can also be used in a low-carb noodle recipe.