Black tree mushroom is popular in Asian countries, and almost unknown to Europeans. Auricularia auricula is the Latin name for these mushrooms, or Auricularia is auricular, but people often call them "tree ears", or "dog ears", for their characteristic appearance. In Asian countries, muer is called "Judah's ear". The main exporter of this product is China. There, the auricularia auricular mushroom is grown on an industrial scale and enters the European market fresh or dried.

Description of the mushroom

"Tree ears" look beautiful in the photo, but in nature they look even more unusual. Outwardly, they look like burnt sheets of paper due to their brown color, and in shape they resemble an auricle. The size of the fruit body can reach 10 cm, although its thickness does not exceed 0.5 cm. Outside it is covered with fine hairs, and on the inside it is wrinkled. The pulp is tender and translucent, resembling jelly in consistency, but with the age of the mushroom, it coarsens.

The black Chinese mushroom grows on dead trees in groups and even entire colonies. Most often they can be found in deciduous forest on alder or elderberry. However, in mixed forests, lovers of "quiet hunting" find this mushroom on a tree trunk. "Tree ears" bear fruit all year round, but they can be found in the winter forest only during the thaw period. And also all year round they are grown artificially, like champignons.

Useful and medicinal properties

In oriental medicine, it is customary to use the Chinese mushroom muer as a sorbent that cleanses the body, giving it youth and health. Therefore, drugs based on it are most often prescribed to the elderly. However, the healing properties of a specimen of Judah's ear are not limited to these qualities, which inhibit the aging process. In traditional and folk medicine, the mushroom is taken:

• to normalize digestive processes;
• to improve the condition of the heart and blood vessels;
• to relieve inflammatory processes;
• to lower cholesterol levels;
• to relieve pain syndromes;
• for the treatment of allergies;
• for the prevention of cancer.

But the benefits of muer don't end there. The description of the beneficial properties of the mushroom is found in ancient medical recipes. It was used by healers as a poultice for eye inflammations. A mushroom popular in China since the 16th century. used by European herbalists. He was advised to use it for sore throat. The mushroom was boiled in milk and then insisted on beer or vinegar. The throat was gargled with vinegar solution, and the remedy made with beer was taken orally.

There are 33 kcal in muer, the calorie content is low, like all mushrooms. It contains a large amount of vitamins of groups B and D and beneficial trace elements such as phosphorus, calcium, potassium and iron. There are even more healthy substances in Chinese mushrooms than in meat. Muer can be used as a food product for people suffering from anemia, obesity, diabetes mellitus.

Dangerous properties of muer

Muer is non-toxic. It is impossible to confuse auricular auricularia with similar mushrooms, since it does not have poisonous counterparts. Muer tree fungus can harm the body only if it grew in an industrial zone or other hazardous area and has absorbed harmful substances.

Like all mushrooms, "tree ears" are contraindicated in diseases of the liver, gallbladder and thyroid gland. People who suffer from skin diseases should be wary of eating Chinese delicacies. And also muer is contraindicated for children, tree mushrooms should not be eaten by pregnant and lactating women. And even those who are planning to have a child should give up the Chinese delicacy for a while.

Cooking use

Chinese mushrooms are both an independent product and an indispensable ingredient in a large number of oriental dishes. In addition to their medicinal properties, they have many beneficial culinary properties. Their taste is delicate, and the aroma is rich and unusual.

Judah's ear goes well with any product. Boiled or fried, it is included in salads, soups, cold appetizers, meat and fish dishes. Dried "tree ears" are used as a seasoning. Since the Chinese delicacy contains few calories, Auricularia auricularis is also used in diet meals.

How to cook

The Muer tree mushroom has an unusual feature - if you put it in water, it will start to “grow” and increase almost 10 times, and then it will take on its original appearance. This property of the mushroom should be taken into account when preparing it. Before preparing "tree ears", they must be soaked in water for at least 1 hour. The water is drained several times.

Muer does not require immediate cooking, but can be stored for a short time after soaking. Most often, it is sent to the refrigerator for a day or stored for several hours in a cool dry place.

How to brew

Judas ear mushroom requires careful heat treatment, so it should be cooked for at least two hours. When cooked, it should be added to soups and salads. Even muer is fried only after being cooked for many hours. Dried muers are also cooked, it is not enough to dry the "ear" to send it to the dish in this form. But if you grind them into powder, then heat treatment is not required. In this form, "tree ears" are used only as a seasoning.

Muer tree mushroom, recipes for which are in every cookbook of oriental cuisine, is wonderful when fried. Muer is most often sold in a small black package. Before cooking, the packaging must be removed and the mushrooms must be placed in water. They will soon swell. For frying, you need only 300 g of the product.

While the "tree ears" are in the water, they cut for frying

• 4 carrots,
• 2 onions
• 2 cloves of garlic.

1. Vegetable oil is poured into a preheated frying pan and vegetables are fried for 10 minutes.
2. Then they slightly remove the pan from the heat and send the mushrooms to it.
3. Fill with water, close the lid and send to stew for another 2 minutes.
4. The dish is ready.

You can season it with sauce or seasoning to taste.

In Korea and China, wood-ear salad is often prepared. To do this, red pepper is fried, a little oil is added to the pan and mushrooms are added. Fry for another 2-3 minutes. Then put on a plate, add onions, coriander, aromatic herbs and various seasonings to taste. Dress the salad with soy sauce or vinegar.

Video recipe

Pickled Muer Mushroom

Do you know what wood mushrooms are eaten with?

You can often hear from European housewives that "bear ears" have a strange taste.

I soak the mushrooms for almost 6 hours, and they are tasteless.

The peculiarity of the Chinese delicacy is that the taste of woody mushrooms is revealed in the dish. Therefore, it is rarely used as a standalone product.

Muer goes best with vegetables and meat. It is often fried and seasoned with aromatic herbs and spices. In China, muers are cooked with funchose, while in Korea they are fried in olive oil with pepper and herbs. Some foodies claim that properly cooked woody mushrooms taste like fish. In many Asian countries, muers are analogous to potato chips for their crunchy properties.

Muer mushroom (Chinese black tree mushroom) is mainly found in Asian countries. It is similar in shape to oyster mushrooms, it grows mainly on deciduous trees, rather than on conifers. The Chinese nicknamed the mushroom "tree ear", and it really looks like an ear. This mushroom is just a storehouse of substances useful to humans: protein, vitamins B and C, trace elements (iron, calcium, phosphorus) and a complete absence of fat.

There is a legend about this mushroom, as if this mushroom first appeared on a tree that Judas, the traitor of Jesus, chose for hanging. People who saw the resemblance of the mushroom to the human auricle called this mushroom "the ear of Judas."

There are two types of muer fungus: auricularia auricular and hairy. Their difference in appearance and color - ear-shaped mushrooms have an ear-shaped cap and gelatinous translucent flesh, and hairy mushrooms (they are also white Chinese tree mushrooms) are distinguished by a pubescent gray-brown upper surface and their flesh is gray-white. Auricularia auricular is the more popular species in use.

By the way, muer mushrooms are not always black. There are porcini mushrooms (dessert) and yellow ones. In Russian supermarkets, you can most often find dried white Chinese tree mushrooms.

The auricular auricular has a very short stalk and fits snugly against the tree. The flesh of the mushroom is transparent, very thin and gelatinous. The top is usually rough, and the inside is smooth as an auricle. When dried, the mushroom hardens and shrinks in size, but not much.

The mushroom has been used in medicine and cooking since ancient times, especially in ancient China. For example, an infusion of these mushrooms was used by ancient Chinese peoples to treat eyes and colds in the throat.

In addition, the use of the mushroom was noticed in European countries - Germany, Scotland and Ireland, as stated in historical information.

Medicinal properties of muer mushroom

Muer is useful for people suffering from anemia, arterial hypertension, diabetes and obesity. It contains anticancer agents, and the fungus fights upper respiratory tract infections by acting as a mild antibiotic. The benefits of Chinese tree mushrooms make them an essential part of the daily diet of the elderly.

Muer is mainly used for treatment and prevention:

• Anemias
• Hypertension, obesity and diabetes
• Increased acidity and cholesterol levels
• Reduced immunity

Auricularia auricular is used both in folk and traditional medicine. For example, in the treatment of severe poisoning, it acts like activated carbon, that is, it acts as a strong absorbent. In addition to absorbing properties, muer mushroom has prebiotic properties, which makes it useful for diseases of the gastrointestinal tract.

Due to the ability of the muer mushroom to improve blood composition, it is used by traditional medicine to restore the human body after radiation and chemotherapy. Also, the muer tree mushroom has a property that is useful for athletes - it improves metabolism and reduces body weight due to the absence of any fats in the mushroom.

Auricularia auricular also has a number of beneficial properties in cardiovascular diseases, namely, it has a therapeutic effect on blood clotting, which helps to avoid the occurrence of blood clots; helps in the presence of malignant and benign tumors; has a hemostatic, anti-inflammatory and anesthetic effect.

Nutritional composition of muer and its use in cooking

Muer has a rich nutritional composition, namely rich in protein, carbohydrates, vitamins, macronutrients and trace elements. It also contains magnesium, calcium, silicon, potassium and other elements that are no less necessary for the human body.

You can cook Chinese muer mushrooms as your heart desires: boil, fry, pickle older mushrooms and eat them raw, for example, adding funchose to the salad. They taste slightly sweet, crunch a little in the mouth and resemble cartilage.

Muer mushrooms go well with various food groups; they complement meat, boiled rice and potatoes well. And if you add fried onion, chicken fillet, ginger, garlic and a little soy sauce to the mushrooms and simmer it all over low heat for 10 minutes, you will get a favorite Chinese and Japanese delicacy.

They are usually sold in bags or boxes, dried. Before using them, pour water over the mushrooms and leave for about 2 hours. Ideally, soak them before bed and leave them overnight. After that, the mushrooms swell and grow in size. In order to feel the taste of the mushroom, a few pieces are enough, it is not necessary to use the whole pack at once. Soaked mushrooms can be stored in the refrigerator for 2-3 days. Dry mushrooms can be stored for a very, very long time.

Another unusual feature of Chinese black muer mushrooms is that they have no mushroom flavor at all. When the mushrooms are just taken out of the bag, you can feel a slight aroma of haze, which completely disappears after soaking.

Growing mushrooms

For those who are fond of growing mushrooms, there is great news - these mushrooms can be grown at home! It is enough to make 2 cuts on the branches of a deciduous tree (maple, elderberry, alder), and place the mycelium of the mushroom there. The length of the branches recommended by experts is up to 1 meter, and the diameter is 15 cm.

Favorable time for planting is from April to May. Mushrooms should be germinated at a temperature of 20 degrees in special piles. The germination process usually takes 3 months, and then the logs are placed in a place protected from sunlight.

If the weather was warm and humid, then by the end of summer you will be able to harvest ready-made fruits! It is worth remembering that harvesting takes place only when white pores appear on the bottom of the cap. Usually fruiting lasts for 6 years, but under all conditions of care.

Chinese muer mushrooms are absolutely harmless to the human body, and, by the way, have no poisonous analogues in nature. The only thing to be wary of is individual intolerance to fungal components, for example, chitin. Also, special attention and caution should be exercised during lactation and pregnant women. We do not recommend giving muer mushrooms to children under 10 years of age.

To summarize, I would like to wish you not to be afraid to experiment, but within reason, watch out for what you eat and bon appetit!

They are thin and brittle woody black fungi. Outwardly, they look like charred paper. Mushrooms have a hazy smell and crunchy sweetish flesh. They are widely used in Vietnam, Thailand, China. Muer grows on tree trunks. For the first time about mushrooms, muer began to be used at imperial receptions in Japan. Mushrooms, along with tiger lily buds, were considered a real delight in Japanese cuisine. Their crispy structure and sweetish taste were loved by all guests.

Muer later became widespread in Western countries. In dried form, these mushrooms were not very popular until in one of the markets the muer got into the water, after which it swelled and acquired the appearance familiar to such a product. Now you can buy muer in an oriental spice store at a fairly affordable price.

How to choose

If you buy dried mushrooms, and most often muer is sold in this form, you should pay attention to their appearance. They should be dry and free of droplets on the bag.

Then look at the color, which can be black or dark gray, but always even, without green or white blotches. If such stains are present, the mushrooms are most likely wet and moldy. You should not take such a product.

How to store

Dried mushrooms are advised to be stored in a cool dry place, where they will be usable for a very long time, up to 5 years. Soaked mushrooms are stored in a closed bowl with water for no more than 2-3 days.

In cooking

Muer has almost neutral taste, due to which they are excellently combined with any product. They are used to prepare numerous stews and fried dishes, first courses, side dishes, cold appetizers and salads. Muer is rarely used as a main dish due to the same neutral taste.

This product must be soaked in warm water for about 3-4 hours before cooking. After that, the mushrooms increase their volume by 6-8 times. Next, you need to remove the hard root part and you can cook.

Fried muer with spices is popular in Korea. To prepare such a dish, put red pepper, ground cilantro on a preheated frying pan, pour them with olive oil and fry for about 2 minutes. Then add the mushrooms and cook for 7-10 minutes. The cooled mushrooms are served with herbs. If the product is part of a salad, then you need to add salty and hot sauces. In addition, muer is often consumed as noodles, cut into thin strips and sent to a boiling broth for 20 minutes.

Also, these mushrooms are often used as a side dish for fried potatoes, boiled rice or pork. Funchose salad with muer is popular in modern cuisine. In addition to muer, it contains rice noodles, carrots, cabbage stumps, spices and herbs. For its preparation, the vermicelli is poured with boiling water for 10-15 minutes, while frying the cabbage stump and grated carrots with spices, then add the mushrooms cut into strips and fry for about 10-15 minutes. After that, cover the pan with a lid and let it stand for about 10 minutes. After this time, the noodles are mixed with mushrooms, soy sauce, fresh cilantro are added and cooled in the refrigerator for several hours.

Calorie content

Like most mushrooms, the calorie content of muer is very small - 33 kcal. Therefore, it can be used in dietary nutrition as well.

Nutritional value per 100 grams:

Useful properties of muer

Composition and presence of nutrients

These mushrooms are so popular in Asia for a reason. In addition to good taste, they have many useful and even unique properties. Muer is rich in protein, and in terms of its content, this product is not inferior even to meat. These mushrooms have a lot of vitamins of group B and vitamin D. Also contained in muer are amino acids, phosphorus, calcium, potassium. It is ideal for dietary nutrition, as it helps to reduce weight, while saturating the body with all the necessary trace elements, which prevents vitamin deficiency.

Useful and medicinal properties

The health benefits of muer mushrooms are great. First of all, because they are considered to be an excellent natural antioxidant.

Mushrooms have a number of enzymes that prevent the formation of blood clots in blood vessels, as well as nicotinic acid, known for its beneficial effect on recovery processes. In other words, by eating muer, a person can not only protect the body, but also help renew it.

Also, woody mushrooms are rich in polysaccharides, which prevent the development of malignant tumors and can increase overall immunity. In addition, the extracts, ointments and tinctures of muer used in oriental medicine are good for treating skin diseases and healing wounds.

This product is also useful for people suffering from hypertension, anemia, obesity and diabetes. Promotes the use of muer to reduce cholesterol levels and improve the state of the cardiovascular system.

Due to the regular use of muer, the acidity of the stomach is normalized, the inflamed and irritated mucous membrane is soothed. It acts as a mild antibiotic with anti-inflammatory effects.

It is also believed that muer normalizes water exchange and slows down the aging process. They should be consumed by those who suffer from edema on the legs (for this, a teaspoon of chopped mushrooms is added to rice cooked without salt).

Among other things, muer prevents the development of infectious diseases.

Muer known as "Black tree ear" or "Cloud mushroom", in fact, are two identical varieties of jelly mushrooms, Auricularia Polytricha and Auricularia auricula-judae ... The main difference between the two is size. Is the Chinese name for mushrooms, the Chinese consider them not only edible , but also medicinal ... Other Asian names are - "Ear of a Tree", "Black Mushroom" and "Ear of Judas"... Mushrooms get their name from their unusual shape, similar to the human ear.

They have a color from red-brown to grayish-black and can be from two to ten centimeters in size. Mushrooms are elastic, like rubber, in addition to the shape of the ear, they can have a bowl-shaped shape, they have a thick, smooth wavy cap and almost no stem. The muer mushroom is silky or covered with microscopic hairs, as if streaked in the lumen. The color of the cap often takes on the color of the tree on which the mushroom grows. With age, the muer mushroom darkens, and the cap may turn black. The woody mushroom texture is not brittle and crunchy.

Usually grows in groups on dead wood. The mycelium receives food by digesting the decomposition products of wood. When the mushroom is ready to reproduce, the mycelium develops a “fruit body” outside of “its” tree. The spores mature on the bottom of the cap and are released to create a new mycelium elsewhere.

Tree ears began to be cultivated about 600 years ago and were the first recorded cultivated mushrooms. Their homeland is China.

Muer tree mushrooms are a source of iron and protein and are high in fiber, providing almost half of the recommended daily fiber intake for an adult in one serving. They lower blood cholesterol levels and are also a source of vitamins B1 and B2. The Chinese add muer mushrooms to dishes to improve breathing, to increase blood flow, improve blood circulation, to feel good, and believe that if you use muer mushroom regularly, you can avoid taking medications in the future.

Most recipes require that you dry muer mushrooms soaked in advance, thereby forcing them to unfold and completely recover in size, to acquire their original color and slightly chewy consistency. They have one more property: having no taste of their own, the muer mushroom tends to absorb the flavors of other ingredients in the dish.

Muer Mushroom Salad is a light and refreshing Chinese snack that is not well known outside of China.

Colorful vegetables such as cucumber, peppers and celery make the dish more appealing and healthy. They add fresh and juicy texture, sweet aroma and pleasant color to the dish. For salad dressing, it is good to use soy sauce, dark rice vinegar, and sugar to create a sweet sour fruity flavor. Chopped almonds and sesame oil add a nutty flavor to the dish. To replace almonds, you can use toasted sesame seeds.

Ingredients:

• Wash 1 small cup of dried muer mushrooms and soak in cold water for 2 hours (mushrooms grow very much) and cut into "one bite" pieces
• 2 tablespoons light soy sauce
• 2 tablespoons black rice vinegar
• 1 teaspoon sugar
• 1 teaspoon
• 1/2 green pepper, chopped
• 1/3 red pepper, chopped
• 1/3 yellow pepper, chopped
• 1/4 cup chopped cilantro
• 1/4 cup, chopped

In a medium saucepan, bring water to a boil. Add mushrooms and cook for 2-3 minutes. Throw the mushrooms in a colander, rinse with running water. Set aside. Combine light soy sauce, vinegar, sugar, and sesame oil in a small bowl. Mix thoroughly.

Mix the sauce, mushrooms and peppers, preferably 10 minutes before serving. Garnish with cilantro and chopped almonds.

Chicken with ginger and muer mushrooms

This dish is easy to make and delicious. The red wine and ginger go really well with the chicken, and the muer mushroom is pleasantly crunchy and absorbs the flavors of the chicken and spices superbly. Can be served with rice and vegetables.

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
• 4-5 cloves of garlic, chopped medium-sized
• Cut 3 chicken quarters into 5-6 pieces each
• 1 thick large ginger root, grate and squeeze out
• 3-4 feathers of green onions, cut into 2-2.5 cm segments
• A handful of dried muer mushrooms (soak in cold water for several hours, then rinse under running water).
• 1/2 - 1/3 cup wine (preferably red)
• Coarse salt and white pepper, to taste

Preparation:

2. Cut the prepared muer mushrooms into 2.5-3.5 cm pieces. Set aside.

3. Heat the wok over high heat, add vegetable oil and heat it hard.

4. Add garlic, reduce heat, lightly fry without scorching.

5. Place the chicken pieces and marinade in a wok. Increase heat to high and grill chicken pieces until brown, turning every 2-3 minutes.

6. When the chicken is browned (about 10 minutes), add the mushrooms and stir.

7. Add red wine. After the mixture starts to simmer, lower the temperature to medium and cover. Simmer for another 6-8 minutes, or until chicken is tender.
8. Add white pepper and salt to taste. Sprinkle with green onions, stir and simmer for another minute.

Cook and enjoy!

They may seem ordinary only at first glance. If you dig deeper, you will only be surprised at their useful properties. The Chinese not only eat mushrooms, but also actively use them in medicine and cosmetology. I suggest you familiarize yourself with the most popular Chinese mushrooms.

1. Shiitake - a brown mushroom with a split skin on the cap. One of the most popular mushrooms in Asia. Has a rather specific taste. Very aromatic. It resembles a sponge in consistency - soft and slightly rubbery. Most often it can be found in as one of the components of the soup. The shops often sell both fresh and dried mushrooms. To prepare the dried Shiitake for consumption, pour it over with lukewarm water for a couple of hours, then wash it and pour it over again with cold water and leave it there for several hours. After which they increase in size several times. It is recommended to put them in the refrigerator for this time. Shiitake is used not only in cooking, but also in medicine. It purifies the blood and has a positive effect on male activity, and is also used in cosmetology.

2. Oyster mushroom or Oyster mushroom is a gray mushroom with a flat, one-sided cap. This mushroom is sold in all markets and in all supermarkets. One of the cheapest mushrooms in China. Long-term heat treatment is not required. A hat is most often used for food, because the leg is very dense and stiff. Oyster mushroom is very useful and contains iron, calcium and vitamins B, C, E. By consuming Oyster mushroom you can lower cholesterol levels in the body. Oyster mushroom is eaten fried and boiled.

3. Shimeji - small mushrooms with brown caps on white legs, grow in a bunch. Distributed in Japan and Korea. They contain vitamins A and B, cleanse the body and support the immune system. Shimeji has a rich mushroom smell. This mushroom is delicious when stewed with garlic and soy sauce. It goes well with porcini mushrooms. They are also used to make soups.

4. Porcini mushrooms with curved long legs and small white caps - literally translated from Chinese as seafood mushrooms... As they are called in Russian, I never found. They are very common in Chinese markets. The leg is quite dense. They can be stewed or added to soups. These mushrooms are great with garlic in soy sauce. Can be cooked with Shimeji.

5. Eringi or Royal oyster mushroom - a large porcini mushroom on a thick stem with a small flat brown cap. Eringi is a very useful mushroom, it contains vitamins B and D, minerals. Cleans the body and fights cancer. In addition, this mushroom is actively used in cosmetology. Basically, they eat only legs. They are dense and have a rich mushroom smell. Tasty fried, especially with onions. Among other things, it is consumed either dried or stewed.

6. Enoki (Enokitaki or Golden Threads) - Also known as winter mushrooms. Another of the most popular Chinese mushrooms. The Chinese eat Enoki in any dish. These are white thin mushrooms growing in a bunch. Even after heat treatment, they remain crispy and seem to squeak on the teeth. They are prepared with meat dishes and as an appetizer. The rhizome is preliminarily cut and divided into separate "strands". Enoki pair well with duck, and they are also good wrapped and fried in bacon as a snack. The Chinese also make soups with them. This mushroom has many health benefits, including cancer fighting. Contains potassium, iron and B vitamins.

7. Straw mushroom - a small gray mushroom, similar to a pebble or testicle (without a stem). It tastes like champignon. It is because of its unusual shape that it remained unidentified by me as a mushroom for a long time. It grows in straw-covered beds, hence its name. Distributed in the countries of Southeast Asia. The straw mushroom is harvested before its cap opens, because in this form, it contains more nutrients. Long-term heat treatment is not required. The Chinese add them to soups or fried. To the same extent, this mushroom is good in pickled form.

8. Agrocybe or fieldman (agrocybe chaxingu) - literally translated from Chinese as tea tree mushrooms. A brown mushroom on a thin stem with a small brown cap. Contains calcium, magnesium, zinc. It has antioxidant properties, improves immunity. Sold on all Chinese sites in dried form. Sold fresh in supermarkets. It is valued for its beneficial properties. Most commonly used in medicine.

9. Chinese Muer Tree Mushroom (tree ear) is a black, slippery flat mushroom. Just like Shiitake, it is very popular in China. In packaging, it can be confused with a variety of seaweed - brown and slippery. Elastic and rubbery. Contains iron, calcium, phosphorus and many vitamins. Boosts immunity. In stores, these mushrooms are sold packaged in small packages or pressed in briquettes. To prepare the pressed tree mushrooms for consumption, they need to be soaked in warm water. After that, Muer is recommended to rinse and leave to soak in cold water for half a day. In cafes and restaurants, this mushroom can be found as a snack or as a separate dish - stewed with vegetables. The woody ear is most delicious as a separate appetizer - marinated with vinegar, carrots and celery.

10. White chinese tree mushroom - like a dried sponge or coral. It can often be found in the shop next to dried berries and herbs. Tree mushrooms are more expensive, but due to their light weight, a serving can be purchased for as little as 8 RMB. Contains calcium, magnesium and iron. Promotes the elimination of toxins and prevents the formation of tumors. Salads and soups are prepared from porcini mushrooms.

11. Inyer or Silver ears (Snow mushroom, coral mushroom) - looks like a white tree mushroom. Translucent white, as if jelly-like. When soaked, it increases in size by 8 times. Sold in boxes per piece. It also belongs to the category of expensive mushrooms. You can rarely find it in a supermarket. Stored in the refrigerator. Very useful, contains phosphorus, iodine, iron and amino acids. Used in medicine. Has a light sweetish taste, goes well with seafood and vegetables. The Chinese prepare it for special occasions.

12. Bamboo mushroom or Lady with a Veil (Bamboo fungus) - a mushroom on a thick white stem with a net-shaped hat. Has a very unusual appearance. The stem is porous, like a sponge, but there is no cap as such, instead of it there is a mesh that envelops the upper part of the mushroom. The bamboo mushroom ranks among the most unusual mushrooms. It is rarely found raw or dried in the store. This unusual mushroom is also used for medicinal purposes. One of its names is Phallus indusiatus. In Asian countries, it is considered a delicacy and aphrodisiac. Has a specific smell. Hence the name.