Mushrooms stir fry from the wok

Mushrooms Stir Fry – for me such a “workhorse” among mushrooms: inexpensive, versatile and with the potential to really enhance a pan or wok if you pay attention to a few peculiarities. They really come into their own in a stir fry – provided you know how to use them.

First of all: types and differences. The two that are most common in Europe are white button mushrooms and brown button mushrooms (e.g. cremini). White ones are usually milder in taste, somewhat more neutral, with a delicate texture; brown ones have more earth, more umami, are stronger in flavor, somewhat firmer in flesh. Then there are also giant varieties, such as portobello (a more mature version), and cultivated or forest mushrooms (which then have a somewhat independent, earthy taste). These differences affect the water content, browning and taste in the stir-fry.

Do you love mushrooms as much as I do? Then be sure to take a look at my other mushroom recipes. Enoki, porcini mushroom, lychee, parasaol, etc. – the whole variety of great mushrooms is represented here.

Why and how do mushrooms go well in stir fry / wok dishes?

Water content & heat
Mushrooms contain a lot of water. If you simply throw them into a hot wok, they will release water first – this dampens the heat and can make everything soggy. That’s why it’s worth putting them in the wok really hot and dry first, without overloading, so that they develop roasting aromas before too much liquid forms. Preheat the wok properly, add the oil and fry the mushrooms on their own, ideally in batches.

Texture & bite
The effect varies depending on how thick or thin you slice them and how far in advance you cook them. Thinly sliced, they cook faster but have less bite. Thicker slices or quarters retain more texture, more “chew”, which is often very nice in a stir-fry, especially if there are other crunchy ingredients – vegetables, spring onions, peppers, etc.

Timing & combinations
Mushrooms should not be added to the wok at the end if it is only 1-2 minutes, unless they are already pre-cooked or evenly small pieces. It’s better to let them cook first, then add other ingredients that take longer, then add the mushrooms again just before everything is ready so that they gain flavor and don’t get too soggy. In terms of flavor: they love garlic, ginger, chili, soy sauce, sesame oil – an umami kick from a dark sauce or a dash of broth is great.

White vs. brown in the wok

• With white mushrooms: Finer consistency, lighter flavor – ideal if you want them to work a little in the background, providing texture but not dominating. Brown generally makes more of the dish, adds depth.
• Browns darken faster in contact with heat, develop an intense aroma, darker roast. This can be used with strong flavors (soy sauce, darker seasoning sauces, spicy components, etc.).
• With white ones, be careful not to brown them too much, otherwise they could become bitter or too hard on the outside compared to the rest of the vegetables or meat.

And how does it work in a wok?

First and foremost, you need a good wok burner and a good wok for mushrooms stir fry and in general. When it comes to wok burners, the Roaring Dragon with its 24kW output is unbeatable. All the others with 10, 12 or 16 kW are just gas stoves. I’m not giving away my Roaring Dragon, but I can offer you a 10% discount on your Roaring Dragon with my code “Chopstick_BBQ”.

You can either order the wok set at the same time or find one at your nearest Asian store: simple, thin-walled, properly seared, easy to clean – wok love.

The recipe

In short: mushrooms are great in the wok/stir-fry. You just have to treat them with respect for heat and water content, pay attention to the variety – depending on how strong and earthy you like it – and then they can add texture, flavor and depth to the dish without becoming mushy.

In this recipe, they harmonize wonderfully with spring onions, garlic and a sauce made from light soy sauce, Chinese cooking wine, rice vinegar, sugar and sesame oil. Give it a try and let me know what you think in the comments.

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