Shiitake mushrooms are historically very popular in Asian cuisine like stir-fry's or noodle dishes, but are also fantastic for soups, pasta and risotto too. They have a unique appearance with a broad brown cap and light coloured, fine gills.

Shiitake mushrooms are made up of around 75% water, which is significantly less than most other mushrooms. This results in a meaty flesh with a slightly chewy texture and they tend to hold their size throughout the cooking process. 

Did you know? In Japanese, Shii means 'from a hardwood tree' and take (pronounced "Taa-Key") means mushroom. 

Flavour:

Shiitake mushrooms have a full-bodied, earthy and slightly smokey flavour, filled with umami. Their meaty flesh has a firm and slightly chewy texture.