How to make mushroom tea? This question has been asked by many people who want to try out mushroom tea. The answer is simple!
Mushroom tea is a type of herbal tea that contains mushrooms. It is also known as shiitake or hen-of-the-woods mushroom tea.
They are rich in beta-glucans, polysaccharides, vitamins, and minerals. These ingredients are beneficial to our health.
There are several types of mushroom teas, such as white button mushroom tea, black fungus tea, and red wine mushroom tea.
Each type of mushroom tea has its own unique flavor and aroma.
But, how do you go about making mushroom tea? Today, we will be guiding you through this process, so you can enjoy some home-brewed mushroom goodness!
Easy Way To Make Mushroom Tea
Here’s an easy way to make mushroom tea. First, collect fresh shiitake mushrooms from your kitchen. Then wash them with water until the dirt is removed.
Take out the stalks. Chop off the caps. Rewash the lids with clean water until there is no more dirt. Finally, dry them using paper towels.
Then it’s time for the most critical step: steaming.
When preparing mushroom tea for drinking, it must be steam cooked. You can use either a microwave oven or a stovetop steamer pot.
If you choose the stovetop method, place the dried mushroom caps in a large saucepan filled with enough hot water to cover the caps by 3 inches.
Cover the pan tightly and heat over medium-high heat until the liquid boils.
Next, reduce the heat to low. Steam cook for about 10 minutes. Remove the lid and carefully remove the caps. Place them into a colander to drain additional liquid.
In addition, discard the remaining liquid. Repeat this procedure until all caps are soaked through.
Now it’s time to strain the mushrooms. Use a fine-mesh strainer set over a bowl. Pour the strained mushroom-soaking liquid back into the saucepan.
Put the saucepan over high heat and boil until the liquid becomes concentrated. Turn down the heat to medium-low.
Add sugar and cinnamon to taste. Let them simmer for 30 minutes. Cool before storing in the refrigerator.
To Drink Mushroom Tea
- Pour hot water into a cup.
- Add one tablespoon of mushroom tea per serving.
- Serve immediately.
This recipe may not work if the caps have already started to dry up because they will lose their flavor when dried.
So, always soak the caps first before making any other preparations.
The best part of mushroom tea is that it does not need brewing. Simply add it to warm water and enjoy!
If you’re looking to buy some raw mushrooms, we recommend two ways. One is to purchase dried mushrooms at Asian markets.
Another option is to purchase frozen wild mushrooms. Frozen mushrooms come in different sizes, so you should select only the size that fits what you need.
How To Prepare Mushroom Tea?
You can then also follow these steps to prepare mushroom tea:
First, wash the mushrooms well.
Soak the mushrooms first in cold water for 20 minutes
Use a strainer or cheesecloth to strain the mushrooms. Do not discard the soaking water – save it for cooking another dish.
Gently rinse the mushrooms by dipping them in cool water. This removes any residual dirt from the mushrooms.
Cut the mushroom caps into bite-sized pieces. Toss them in a food processor to chop them finely.
Don’t over-process the mushrooms just yet, or else they’ll begin to disintegrate.
Pour the chopped mushrooms into a container with a tight-lidded top. Shake the container vigorously to mix the ingredients together thoroughly.
Put the contents of the container into a microwave-safe bowl. Microwave the mixture on high power for 1 minute. Stir well.
Continue microwaving for 1 minute, stirring every 30 seconds.
Stop heating when the mushrooms start to look translucent.
Remove the bowl from the microwave and stir the mushrooms gently. Allow the mushrooms to sit for 5 minutes.
Strain the mushrooms once again into a new container. Shake the container vigorously. Repeat the process 2 times.
Allow the mushrooms to rest for 15 minutes. Then, strain the mushrooms for the third time.
Place the mushrooms in a stainless steel or glass bowl. Fill the bowl with ice cubes. Set the bowl aside for 5 minutes.
Add the crushed mushrooms to the blender and lemon juice, yogurt, honey, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt.
Whirl the mixture on high speed until thoroughly blended. Taste your creation and adjust seasoning as necessary.
Transfer the mixture to a large pitcher. It’s recommended that you use filtered drinking water when preparing this tea. You could also try adding ice cubes.
Let the tea steep for at least 10 minutes before serving. And, that’s it!
Mushroom Tea Benefits
Mushroom tea is ideal for those who seek health benefits through herbal remedies.
This beverage contains many nutrients, including antioxidants, minerals, beta-carotene, and vitamins A, C, and E. Not surprisingly, it is also rich in B-complex vitamins.
Mushroom tea helps boost memory, improve concentration, lower cholesterol levels, and increase energy.
In addition, it stimulates liver function, aids in weight loss, prevents cancer, lowers blood pressure, reduces stress, and protects against infection.
In fact, mushroom tea has been used for centuries for medicinal purposes. Ancient Chinese physicians chose to treat digestive disorders and poor appetite.
Today, doctors still regard it as one of the most effective treatments for gastrointestinal disturbances.
Folk healers have long known mushrooms to be good for overall wellness. People often choose to drink mushroom tea because of its reputation for being healthy.
As mentioned earlier, mushroom tea should only be consumed in moderation. Too much can cause flatulence, nausea, diarrhea, and vomiting.
The same applies to other types of teas. For example, while green tea is considered very beneficial, too much can do more harm than good.
If you’re going to consume mushroom tea, limit yourself to a cup or two per day. Remember that different varieties of mushrooms are available.
Some are toxic, while others are not. So if you want to avoid any kind of poisoning, go for the edible ones.
Also, remember that certain mushrooms are poisonous regardless of whether they are white, brown, red, blue, yellow, or black. Be careful!
If you plan to consume mushroom tea regularly, keep in mind that the best way to prepare it is simply by mixing it with water in a glass or ceramic mug.
You can add some honey or lemon juice if desired.
And if you prefer a more robust flavor, just add more fresh mushrooms instead of diluting the recipe.
This will give you a better idea about mushroom tea. You know what to expect from consuming it, and you understand why it works so well.
Final Thoughts
To conclude, we suggest that you read our other articles about food preparation techniques. These can help you handle cooking, baking, grilling, and frying.
Also, we hope these tips will inspire you to create delicious dishes using herbs and spices. So what are you waiting for? Start cooking today!
