Whole large flower shiitake · A distinctive main
Make four burgers with four whole dried caps from the Xianyitang large flower shiitake 200 g pack. Fully rehydrate and braise them before glazing with teriyaki sauce and layering with lettuce, tomato and cooked onion. Dried caps are approximately 8–10 cm across; hydrated size varies, so choose buns to suit the actual caps.
Times are estimates and include soaking and preparation; some tasks can overlap. Check hydration and doneness as described.
Recipe illustrations; measure ingredients using the written quantities.
Rinse the dried caps and submerge in cold drinking water in a wide food container, held down with a clean small plate. Cover and refrigerate at 5°C or below for about 8–12 hours; thick caps may need longer. Check each thick centre for a dry hard core. Change the water and continue refrigerated soaking if needed rather than relying only on the clock.
Discard the soaking water. Rinse grit from the gills and stem junctions and trim tough stems while retaining whole caps. Do not chop or flatten them. Rehydration does not cook the mushrooms; keep covered and refrigerated if cooking is delayed and use promptly.
Put the caps and ginger in a wide pan with about 1 litre fresh drinking water, keeping the caps mostly submerged. Bring to the boil, cover with a small gap and simmer gently for about 60–90 minutes or longer. Turn and check every 15–20 minutes, adding hot water to prevent drying. The thick centres must be easily pierced and the caps cooked and tender throughout. The brief frying later is not the main cooking stage. Drain and gently blot surface moisture.
While the mushrooms braise, combine light soy sauce, mirin, sugar and 20 ml water. Wash and dry the lettuce and tomato. Cook the onion in half the oil over medium-low heat for about 5–8 minutes until tender, then set aside. Warm or toast buns as their label directs and keep the vegetables and buns ready.
Heat the remaining oil in a frying pan and lightly brown the fully cooked whole caps for about 3–5 minutes in total, turning gently. Lower the heat, add the mixed sauce and turn and spoon it over for about 1–3 minutes until lightly coating. Sugary sauce burns easily: add a little water and bring back to the boil if too thick. Do not reduce it to a black crust or press the caps flat.
Layer each bun base with lettuce, tomato, cooked onion and one hot whole mushroom. Add the top bun and serve one per person. A cap slightly wider than its bun is fine; offset the top bun to reveal the patterned cap. Assemble just before eating and add only a little remaining glaze to taste.
Soy sauce contains soya and commonly wheat. Buns contain wheat and may contain egg, milk or sesame; check labels. The Xianyitang dried-ingredient packs state that they are packed in a facility also handling peanuts, tree nuts, sesame and soya. Check the actual labels of every brand used.
Keep rehydrated mushrooms refrigerated and cook promptly. Store cooked caps separately from salad and buns. Cool cooked caps promptly in shallow containers and refrigerate within 2 hours; eat within 48 hours or freeze. Reheat only once until hot throughout. Wash salad freshly and assemble just before eating.
