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When the weather is warm, many people crave light, chilled dishes to accompany their meals. A chilled enoki mushroom salad (涼拌金菇沙律) is a perfect choice. This refreshing side dish comes together in minutes, offering a quick way to beat the heat.
Delicious as either an appetiser or a salad, enoki mushrooms are packed with essential nutrients. According to Kathy Ng Yiu-fan from the Kat-Spirit Nutrition Centre in Hong Kong, these mushrooms are high in dietary fibre, which promotes a feeling of fullness and aids in digestion. Additionally, they are rich in antioxidants, which help combat ageing and inflammation.
“In terms of vitamins and minerals, they are a good source of vitamin B12, a nutrient vital for metabolism and red blood cell formation that is not commonly found in plant-based foods,” said Ng.
The mushrooms also contain potassium, which is crucial for heart health and maintaining a proper balance of electrolytes in the body. When comparing enoki mushrooms to other popular varieties like shiitake and button mushrooms, there are some nutritional differences.
Both enoki and shiitake mushrooms contain more fibre than button mushrooms, which have around 2.5 to 2.7 grams of fibre per 100 grams. One serving of the salad contains about 90 calories, four grams of protein, 12 grams of carbohydrates and three grams of fat. Ng recommends pairing the chilled enoki mushroom salad with tofu or grilled chicken to increase protein content, and serving it with rice or noodles to provide the necessary carbohydrates for a complete and satisfying meal.
“With healthy ingredients like enoki mushrooms, cucumber, carrots and cherry tomatoes, the dish is already quite nutritious,” she said.
Ng also advised against adding any heavy sauces that cover the taste of the salad.
“For summer dishes, sometimes the best approach is to let the ingredients’ natural flavours shine,” she said.
Refreshing enoki salad
Ingredients (serves two)
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200 grams of enoki mushrooms
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half a cucumber
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half a carrot
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handful of cherry tomatoes
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half a stalk of spring onion
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1 tablespoon of light soy sauce
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1 teaspoon of sesame oil
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a sprinkle of sesame seeds
Directions
1. Cut off the bottom root part of the enoki mushrooms that is brown and clumped together. Gently separate the mushrooms into smaller bundles and rinse them well under cool running water.
2. Bring a small pot of water to a boil. Carefully add the enoki mushrooms to the boiling water. Cook for about 30 to 45 seconds.
3. Remove the mushrooms and immediately drain them in a colander. Run cold water over the mushrooms for about a minute, or plunge them into a bowl of iced water. This stops them from cooking further and keeps them nice and springy.
4. Cut the cucumber and carrot into thin slices. Cut the cherry tomatoes in half and chop the spring onion into small slices.
5. Mix all the ingredients well with light soy sauce, sesame oil and sesame seeds and stir well.
6. Put the salad in the fridge for at least 15 to 30 minutes to let the flavours meld and for the dish to get nice and cold. The dish can be stored in the fridge for up to three days.
