Shiitake mushroom in Tagalog

There is no separate Tagalog word for shiitake - in the Philippines they are just called shiitake mushrooms. Dried shiitake are 冬菇 (dung1 gu1) in Cantonese.

At a glance

• Tagalog: shiitake mushroom - the word is used as-is; there is no native Tagalog name.
• Chinese: 香菇 (Cantonese hoeng1 gu1) for fresh, 冬菇 (dung1 gu1) for the dried, higher-grade winter mushrooms.
• Indonesian: jamur shiitake.
• English labels: dried shiitake mushrooms, dried Chinese mushrooms, black mushrooms.

What they are

• A brown East Asian mushroom with a deep, savoury (umami) taste. Sold fresh, or dried in the packaged-goods aisle.
• Dried shiitake taste stronger than fresh and keep for months in a cool, dry place.

How we use them

• Soak dried shiitake in warm water for 20-30 minutes until soft, then trim the tough stems.
• Keep the soaking water: strain it and use it as a free stock in soups and sauces.
• Use soaked mushrooms in soups, braises, steamed dishes and stir-fries. In Filipino cooking they show up in pancit and Chinese-influenced stews.

Where to find them in Hong Kong

• Dried-goods shops and the dried-food aisle of supermarkets, sold in bags.
• Smooth, thick caps with a crackled pattern (花菇, flower mushrooms) are the prized grade.

Substitutes

• Other dried mushrooms (such as dried porcini) give a similar savoury depth, with a different aroma.
• Fresh shiitake work in stir-fries but are milder than dried in soups and braises.

Dishes here that use shiitake

• Shiitake minced pork rice (50)
• Steamed drumsticks w/ mushrooms (41)
• Claypot rice, chicken & Chinese sausage (40)
• Chicken kinpei takikomi gohan (5)
• Steamed tofu w/ pork mince (48)

Sources

Facts on this page come from these pages. We have summarised them in our own words.

• Recipes by Nora (Filipino): shiitake mushrooms, fresh vs dried
• Wikipedia: shiitake
• Our pantry page: dried shiitake mushrooms