I’m not going to tell you these taste exactly like French fries or that you’d never know they aren’t potatoes because that’s insane. Potatoes are a perfect food. French fries are a perfect food. But these are really good, too.
If you haven’t had them before, Enoki mushrooms are long, skinny mushrooms about the width of thin spaghetti with a little cap on the end. You can find them at some conventional grocery stores but at Asian markets they tend to hover around $1 a pack (and really, if this blog aims to do anything at all it’s to get you to an Asian grocery store so please, for the love of kimchi, JUST GO ALREADY).
This recipe is great for snacking and sprinkling on top of salads and grain bowls and soups for a little savory crunch. Can you call something a recipe when it only has two ingredients? I mean, we’re doing it so whatever. I’ve included some optional add-ins to infuse the oil before you fry the shrooms if you want to add a little extra flavor (and create some garlic chips or fried shallots in the process?!)
These are fried, so they aren’t the healthiest thing but mushrooms have great nutritional benefits so maybe it’s okay. And while they won’t fool anyone into thinking they ate shoestring potatoes, they could definitely trick someone who thinks they don’t like mushrooms. Isn’t that what life is all about? Tricking your loved ones? This took a turn. I’m leaving now – enjoy!
| Prep Time | 5 minutes |
| Cook Time | 10-15 minutes |
| Servings |
cup
|
- 1 pack Enoki mushroom
- 1 cup neutral oil
- 1 shallot thinly sliced (optional)
- 4 garlic clove thinly sliced (optional)
- kosher salt to taste
Ingredients
|
|
- Cut the bottom 1 1/2-2 inches off the bundle of mushroom and separate the strands out with your hands.
- Heat the oil in a small saute pan over medium high heat. While its heating up, get some paper towels ready for when you pull everything out of the oil.
- OPTIONAL: If you're using garlic or shallots, add those first when the oil is hot (check by dipping one piece in the oil - it should start sizzling immediately if its hot enough). Fry them, stirring occasionally until everything is golden brown but not burnt. Remove pieces* with a slotted spoon and transfer to paper towel.
- Working in batches, fry the mushroom strands until they are golden brown. Remove with a slotted spoon and transfer to the paper towel. Repeat until you've fried all of it. While everything is still warm, season with kosher salt.
* If you use the shallot or garlic, you will end up with garlic chips or fried shallots - you can either eat these mixed in with the mushroom or store them in an airtight container for later use. They will keep for about a week at room temp.
These are best eaten within a few hours of making them or at least that day. They will keep for a few days in an airtight container on the counter, but they will lose crunchiness over time. You could try reviving them in a toaster oven/regular oven.
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