Japanese Crispy Enoki Mushrooms (えのきフライ)

This delectable Japanese snack transforms thin and lanky enoki mushrooms into a crispy-fried indulgence.

Enoki mushrooms have been cultivated in Japan for thousands of years. Their thin, leggy white stems make a delicate flourish on or in soups and broths, and their tearable, fibrous quality has earned them a new role as a meat and fish substitute. You’ll find them in most Asian supermarkets, but use them quickly - within a few days of purchase - as they don’t last very long. Like all mushrooms, store them in paper bag to wick away moisture. A modern way of preparing these mushrooms in Japan - Korea too - is to batter and deep-fry them similar to tempura. This preparation requires no fiddly tempura batter though, instead it merely requires moistening the mushrooms in liquid and plunging them into a bowl of seasoned flour for dredging. This dry coat reacts mostly with the moisture of the mushrooms, meaning the mushrooms don’t get waterlogged like they can with a wet batter. This method also means they can also be cooked in the oven or an air-fryer! Enjoy fried enoki as soon as they’re cooked, laying them into sandwiches, serving with katsu curry or dipped in a tonkatsu mayonnaise, for which there’s a recipe below. They really are to die for - the most indulgent way to eat mushrooms! Let’s go!

INGREDIENTS (serves 2-4x)

• oil for frying

• 1x 200g bundle of enoki mushrooms (beech or shimeji mushrooms will also work)

• 1 tsp ‘shichimi togarashi’ Japanese pepper (or 1/2 tsp chilli powder + 1/2 tsp black pepper)

• 100ml water

• 1 tablespoon light soy sauce

• 5 tablespoons potato starch or cornflour/cornstarch

• 5 tablespoons plain flour

• To serve: tonkatsu sauce, rice, katsu curry, gyoza dipping sauces

  TONKATSU MAYONNAISE

• 1 tablespoon full-fat mayonnaise

• 1 tablespoon Japanese tonkatsu sauce

WALKTHROUGH

1. Trim off the muddy base of the enoki mushrooms with a knife and discard it. Tear the enoki into small bundles. Don’t worry if some of them fall apart, the battering will hold them together later

   

2. In a small bowl, combine the 100ml of water and 1 tablespoon of light soy sauce.

3. Dip the enoki portions into the soy water to moisten them and shake off any excess liquid. Place them onto a rack.

   

4. Into a clean, dry mixing bowl, combine the 5 tablespoons of potato flour/cornflour, 5 tablespoons of plain flour and 1 tsp Japanese pepper (or 1/2 tsp chilli powder + 1/2 tsp black pepper).

   

5. Dip the enoki portions into the flour and blot until well-coated, working the flour in between the stems. Shake off the excess and place them onto a rack to keep dry. If they start to get moist as they sit, dip them into the flour to coat them again.

   

   

6. Now we can fry the mushrooms:

   1. TO PAN-FRY: add enough oil to cover the base of a frying pan by at least 1cm/1/2 inch. A wok is best as it requires less oil and contains the oil spatters. Place the pan onto medium heat and heat until the oil is shimmering. Add the coated enoki mushrooms pieces and fry for 1-2 minutes each side until crisp and browned. Fry in batches to keep the mushrooms crispy.

   2. TO AIR-FRY: place the mushrooms straight onto a greased rack in the air-fryer drawer and air-fry at 200C for 5-7 minutes. Depending on your air-fryer model, you may need to turn them over halfway through cooking to brown evenly.

      

7. Place the fried enoki mushrooms onto a rack or onto kitchen towel to absorb oil and keep them crispy. Now you can make some tonkatsu mayonnaise, if desired, by combining 1 tablespoon of mayonnaise with 1 tablespoon of tonkatsu sauce.

8. Serve your crispy enoki with rice, tonkatsu mayo or in a Japanese sandwich with mayonnaise and shredded cabbage. Enjoy!