Vegetables
Enoki mushroom
えのき えのき enoki
Also known asenoki, enokidake
At its best in Oct, Nov
When it is at its best
Jan
Feb
Mar
Apr
May
Jun
Jul
Aug
Sep
Oct
Nov
Dec
In seasonAvailable
How to cook
Nabe (hot pot)
Added in the bunch; better not overcooked, so the texture holds.
Pan-fried in butter
Cooked quickly over high heat with a splash of soy sauce.
Enoki ice
Blended, reduced and frozen, which concentrates the umami.
Miso soup
Gives good flavour; added at the end.
How to choose
Small unopened caps on straight white stems, with no droplets inside the bag.
Storage
Do not wash; refrigerate in the bag. Trimmed and separated, it also freezes.
Main areas
Good to know
The white, slender mushroom sold in shops is grown in darkness. Wild enokitake is brown with a broad cap and looks like an entirely different mushroom. Nagano produces more than half the national crop.
