How to Rehydrate Dried Shiitake Mushrooms for Maximum Flavor

Dried Shiitake can be used in a variety of recipes. By using this method to reconstitute them, you can be sure that you are getting the best possible flavor. Rehydrating dried Shiitake at a low temperature will enhance their natural sweetness, and maximize the characteristics that give them their umami taste. Guanylate – the compound found in dried Shiitake that gives them their umami taste – also serves to enhance the umami of other ingredients. As a result, the entire dish will become even more delicious. Rehydrating them in a resealable zipper bag will give you the added convenience of fitting them in a small space in your fridge. Use a fairly large quantity of water, so that the Shiitake are completely submerged. You can add more water if needed later. If you have a lot of liquid leftovers, you can use it to make a broth for soup, etc. To prevent bitterness, strain the soaking liquid with a fine strainer, such as a tea strainer.

How to Rehydrate Dried Shiitake mushrooms to achieve the best taste, texture, and Umami. Plus, some advice for food professionals. https://sugimoto.co/en/the-most-delicious-way-to-soak-dried-shiitake-mushrooms/

Did you know that Dried Shiitake is the most powerful Natural Umami Booster with or without adding a Shiitake taste? See why & how: https://sugimoto.co/en/how-to/why-does-dried-shiitake-make-food-taste-better/

Basic

Rehydration

Soaking water

Ingredients

Steps

Rinse the dried Shiitake quickly in cold water to remove dust. Discard the water from the first rinsing.

Pour fresh cold water over the Shiitake. The amount of water should be enough to cover the Shiitake.

Place a plate or something on top to keep the Shiitake from floating. Alternatively, we recommend putting them in a ziplock or similar container to air them out.

Place it in the refrigerator for 1 hour. (2 hours for Donko)

Cut off the Shiitake stems with scissors so that they absorb water from the center of the cap.

Strain soaking water through a tea strainer.

Soak the Shiitake and stems again in the soaking water.

Put a plate or something on top of the Shiitake to keep them from floating, and let them soak in water overnight in the refrigerator. Alternatively, we recommend putting them in a ziplock or similar container to air them out.

Check that the center of the cap is soft and fluffy enough.

Cut off only the hard tip of the Shiitake stem, and chop the rest for use in cooking. The stem has a rich Umami taste.

Strain the Shiitake broth and use it in cooking. 1 Tbsp of Shiitake broth added to 4 servings of cuisine will give a rich Umami flavor to your everyday dishes.

After rehydration, the Umami flavor becomes more concentrated when heated.

Point

Slow rehydration at less than 10°C for 5-24 hours is required to increase the Umami Guanylate.
To reduce soaking time, take out the Shiitake one hour after you started soaking, remove the stem, soak for another enough hour until soft. Shiitake absorbs water from the cut surface of the center, so it can be quickly and plumply rehydrated.

- Putting Shiitake in a zipper bag and letting them rehydrate makes it easier to put them in the space in the refrigerator.
- The amount of water should be just enough to soak the Shiitake. If the amount of water is too little, add more water later, and if it is too much, use it as a broth.
- Strain the soaking water through a tea strainer to avoid unwanted flavors.

Dried Shiitake mushrooms should be rehydrated in cold water to make them sweeter and tastier without any messy taste.