Stir-fried Japanese Mushrooms
Nov 7th, 2008 by Giselle
Mushrooms are rich in polysaccharides and lentinan. Some studies have shown that they seem to stimulate the reproduction and activity of immune cells. So let’s prepare a tasty meal with them!
It is not uncommon for Japanese to use mushrooms as an adjunct to chemotherapy in cancer treatment with measurable positive outcomes. The rate of stomach cancer is 50% lower among Japanese who consume large amounts of mushrooms. Researchers in Kyushu University have shown that colon cancer patients given mushrooms with chemotherapy live longer.
Ingredients
2 tablespoons olive oil
3cm piece ginger, finely sliced
4 garlic cloves, chopped
150g fresh shiitake mushrooms, quartered
150g fresh oyster mushrooms
150g fresh enoki mushrooms
½ cup shao hsing jiu or rice wine
2 teaspoons sugar
3 teaspoons soy sauce
1.5 teaspoon black rice vinegar
1 teaspoon sesame oil
1-2 tablespoons water
Heat olive oil in a hot wok. Add ginger and garlic, fry for 10-20 seconds. Add shiitake and oyster mushrooms. Then add shao hsing jiu or rice wine, sugar, soy sauce, vinegar, sesame oil and fry for 1 minute. Lastly, throw in enoki mushrooms and add some water.
References
V.E. Ooi, F. Liu, ‘Immunomodulation and anticancer activity of polysaccharide protein complexes’ Current Medicinal Chemistry, 7(7), 2000: 715-29.
P.M. Kidd,’The Use of Mushroom glucans and Proteoglycans in Cancer Treatment’ Alternatve Medicine Reviews, 5(1), 2000: 4-27.
M. Torisu, Y. Tayashi, T. Ishimitsu, et al. ‘Significant prolongation of disease-free period gained by oral polysaccharide K(PSk) administration after curative surgical operation of colorectal cancer’ Cancer Immunology Immunotherapy, 31, 1999: 261-8.
H. Nakazato, A. Koike, S. Saji, N. Ogawa, J. Sakamoto, ‘Efficacy of immunochemotherapy as adjuvant treatment after curative resection of gastric cancer’ Lancet, 343, 1994: 1122-6.
M. Hara, T. Hanaoka, M. Kobayashi, et al. ‘Cruciferous vegetables, mushrooms and gastrointestinal caner risks in a multicentre, hospital-based case control study in Japan’ Nutrition Cancer, 46(2), 2003: 138-47.
Hi, we have really enjoyed your videos for making stir fries. They are nice and easy to follow. Do you serve your stir fries with rice? If so what kind of rice would you recommend?
Thanx JL
Thanks for your question, James.
Yes, I serve my stir fries with rice.
First and foremost, not all rice are created equal. For instance, pre-cooked Basmatic rice from Uncle Ben’s (Express brand) has a glycaemic index of 57 whereas Jamine (long grain) rice has a glycaemic index of 109. This means when consumed, Jasmine rice causes a blood sugar response that is fast and high, even higher than that of pure glucose which has a glycaemic index of 100! Therefore, I recommend Basmati rice as it is less likely to cause a huge surge in insulin levels in the blood. Hope this answers your question.
It is very tasty
10/10
from Sandra
Thank you very much, Sandra!
Nice to see a recipe video that shows in detail how to prepare a Japanese Mushroom stir-fry, and learn about its health and anti-cancer benefits at the same time!
I tried this at home and the smell alone was totally delicious.
One thing I would advise others (unless you love ginger), is to go easy on the ginger. I found it a bit overpowering and it took away from the great taste sensation that the other ingredients provided. I will definitely prepare this again!
Yummy. This looks very tasty and if it is good for my gut as well. All the better! Thanks.