JAMES HIPKISS learns he can dish out a couple of wonders in his kitchen using mainly mushrooms.

I CONFESS I have only ever regarded mushrooms as being capable of constituting an ingredient in a dish rather than as a whole dish in itself. However, recently, at the 9th Malaysia International Food & Beverages Trade Fair, a certain Mdm Wu Su Yue from Taiwan rather changed my perceptions of the humble mushroom.

Wu is something of an expert on mushrooms, firstly, through her association with the Lung Kuo Mushroom Farm in Taichung County, Taiwan, and secondly, as an accomplished chef who put on a cookery demonstration at the Trade Fair, presenting two healthy and tasty ways to cook mushrooms.

Naturally Wu uses only fresh mushrooms from the farm in Taiwan, which are now being imported to Malaysia. In particular she uses the Brown Swordbelt, Velvet Foot and King Oyster, each with its own distinctive shape, texture and taste, and all organically produced, so I am told. For those not familiar with these varieties: King Oyster, when chopped up, is a little like white button mushrooms; Velvet Foot is similar to straw mushrooms; and the Brown Swordbelt also resembles straw mushrooms but has a larger dark brown cap.

The two methods of cooking were simple and succeeded in bringing out the natural taste of the mushrooms with an uncommon intensity. A part of the secret appeared to be that the mushrooms were not smothered in an overpowering sauce, and then they were not overcooked, as is sometimes the case when they are fried, for instance, and become slightly shrivelled and tough.
In the first recipe, King Oyster mushrooms were cooked with a little bit of sliced ginger, fresh red and green pepper, a dash of rice vinegar, very little soya sauce, and a large pinch of ground white pepper sauce.

Though the cooking was done in the wok, it was not stir-frying, only a very small amount of water was used. When the robust King Oyster mushrooms were about half-cooked, the other two more delicate varieties were added, the ingredients stirred, and a lid put over the wok for a couple of minutes so the ingredients effectively cooked in steam.

And the end result, delicious, firm mushrooms bursting with taste, not overpowered by a sauce, not soggy, swimming in water, and overcooked, just perfect, their delicate flavours captured and enhanced, never have I enjoyed the taste of Chinese mushrooms more.

Wu's second recipe was also a revelation in the cooking of mushrooms. The three varieties of mushrooms were tossed together in a bowl, a hint of soya sauce and ground white pepper were added, then the bowl placed in a hot oven for a few minutes — no lid, no water added. I was sceptical as to how this dish would turn out, but when I tasted it, I was very pleasantly surprised. It was meaty, and with natural flavours intact.

So very simple, so very appetising. Wu suggested that when cooked in this style, the mushrooms can even be served cold as a starter, garnished with some finely sliced red and green peppers.

Simple dishes which are both healthy and tasty, I shall be trying them at home, and recommend them to any mushroom lover.

* The MIFB trade fair will return to PWTC in Kuala Lumpur between Aug 19-21 next year.