How to Identify Dried Mushrooms

Mushrooms are a form of fungus.

Dried mushrooms are a versatile ingredient used in many different sorts of cooking. You might find yourself munching through a dried mushroom in a risotto, Asian soup, salad or pie filling. It will absorb the flavors of the liquids used in the dish and become re-hydrated to add a unique flavor and texture to the food. There are different types of dried mushrooms available. It's possible to identify an uncooked dried mushroom by how it looks and feels.

Instructions

1. Hold the dried food in the palm of your hand.

2. Look at the color of the foodstuff. Mushrooms have organic, natural colors. Regardless of the type of mushroom you have, it will therefore be a mixture of shades including black, brown, gray or cream. Portabella mushrooms are distinctive because they are white with a strip of black across their middle.

3. Touch and squeeze the item. A dried mushroom is firm but not really hard. Try bending it. The mushroom will be slightly crisp but it won't snap if you bend it. It will be dry to touch.

4. Assess the shape of the item. Some dried mushrooms retain their normal mushroom shape, but appear shriveled up. If it has not been cut up you can identify a rounded head and stem. Morel mushrooms, for example, retain a classic mushroom shape, although when dried look wooden and have holes dotted on the surface. However, black trumpet mushrooms are more like leaves or dried flower heads.

5. Identify a grain in the texture of the item's surface. All dried mushrooms have a texture that varies depending on what type of mushroom it is. For example, oyster mushrooms are cream colored with clearly defined, slightly curved lines running along the surface. Mousseron mushrooms are smooth on top of the head; however, it has ridges underneath. It appears as a classic mushroom shape, although parched.

6. Measure how big the dried object you are holding is. Dried mushrooms are small. It will not be longer than your index finger and you'll be able to pick up at least 10 mushrooms in one handful.

7. Feel the weight of the dried food you are holding. Dried mushroom are light and if you grab a handful it will not weight more than 100 to 200 grams.

Tips & Warnings

• Compare your dried foodstuff against an image of dried mushrooms. Go to the library and find a mushroom reference book or check on the Internet for a collection of pictures.

• If you are unsure if your object is a mushroom and you cannot identify it, do not eat it as it could be something poisonous.

References

• Dried Mushrooms: Home page