Sukiyaki with Beech Mushrooms

My son and I visited the Seoul Food 2014 (International Food Exhibition) in COEX World Trade Center in Seoul. There were hundreds of participants and exhibitors with lots of food samples and giveaways. One of the samples that I received was from this mushroom supplier from Taiwan, Hokuto Corporation.

I was given two packages of these wonderful mushrooms classified as Beech Mushrooms. They looked amazing and I can't wait to try them out. When I asked the exhibitor if there was a difference between the white one and the brown one, she said there was no difference except color.

Tonight, I decided to try the white beech mushrooms. On the wall of the exhibit, they had a picture of a hotpot dish using the mushrooms. Aha! Sukiyaki it is then. So, a quick trip to the grocery was needed and I gathered my ingredients. Since I couldn't get konyaku noodles and the boys were not really keen in tofu, I omitted them from the recipe. I substituted Korean potato noodles for the konyaku noodles.

Following instructions from Victoria, the amiable Hokuto Corporation exhibitor, I trimmed the mushroom ends off and separated them into bite-size pieces. The smell of the mushrooms were fragrant and pungent.

 

This is the recipe I used from this Japanese cooking 101 website:

Ingredients

• 1 Tbsp oil
• 1 lb beef, thinly sliced
• 4 Tbsp sugar
• 4 Tbsp soy sauce
• 2 Tbsp Sake
• 1/2 Nappa cabbage, cut 2" width
• 2 long onions, cut diagonally
• 1 bunch Kikuna (chrysanthemum leaves), cut 2" long (I actually had these but forgot to add)
• 1 package tofu, cut 1" width (omitted)
• 8 shiitake mushrooms (omitted)
• 1 package enoki mushrooms (substituted beech mushrooms)
• 1 package itokonnyaku noodles (substituted Korean potato noodles)

Instructions

1. Heat a pan at medium high and add oil.
2. Sear beef slices in the pan, and add sugar, soy sauce, and Sake when the color of meat has started turning.
3. Add the rest of the ingredients and cook about 10-15 minutes.
4. Adjust seasonings if you like by adding more soy sauce and/or sugar.

Both my sons gave 2 thumbs-up. My eldest loved the mushrooms. I can't wait to get them here at our local groceries.