Pasta with Soy-Glazed King Oyster Mushrooms

King oyster mushroom is a fantastic edible mushroom with a meaty texture and a mild, umami-rich flavor. It has a thick, firm, cylindrical stem that often makes up most of the mushroom, and the cap is small. When seared properly, it develops a golden surface and a wonderful nutty taste. It absorbs flavors and marinades very well. You can sometimes find it in regular grocery stores (at least in Sweden), but otherwise in Asian supermarkets. Here is a recipe for a delicious pasta dish – it’s a must try!

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You will need

Mushrooms:

14 oz (400 g) King oyster mushrooms, sliced into ¼ inch slices

Neutral oil

2 oz (50 g) butter

1½ tbsp (22 ½ ml) light Thai soy sauce

1½ tbsp (22 ½ ml) sweet Thai soy sauce

1½ tbsp (22 ½ ml) mushroom Thai soy sauce

1 tbsp (15 ml) garlic, finely grated

½ tsp (2 ½ ml) honey

Freshly ground black pepper

½ tsp (2 ½ ml) MSG * See note 1 below

⅔ cup (150 ml) scallions, thinly sliced

Pasta

1.1 lb (500 g) Tagliatelle or other wide pasta

Neutral oil for frying

2 tbsp (30 ml) garlic, finely grated

⅓ cup + 1 tbsp (100 ml) shallot, finely chopped

2 tsp (10 ml) medium-hot red chili, finely chopped

1 ⅔ cups (400 ml) pasta water

2 cubes mushroom bouillon

2 tbsp (10 ml) mushroom powder (ground dried mushrooms)

1 cup + 2 tsp (250 ml) heavy cream (40%)

1 tsp (5 ml) MSG * See note 1 below

¾ cup + 1 tbsp (200 ml) Parmesan cheese, finely grated

¾ cup + 1 tbsp (200 ml) scallions, thinly sliced

Pul biber, dried peperoncino, or chili flakes to taste

Freshly ground black pepper

1½ tsp (7 ½ ml) honey

Salt if needed

Saucemix for the Pasta

⅓ cup + 1 tbsp (100 g) butter

3 tbsp (45 ml) light Thai soy sauce

3 tbsp (45 ml) dark sweet Thai soy sauce

1 tbsp (15 ml) mushroom Thai soy sauce

1½ tsp (7½ ml) honey

For Serving

Red chili, thinly sliced

Scallion, green part, thinly sliced

Parmesan, finely grated

How to make it

Mushrooms

1. Brush the mushrooms with oil on both sides – be generous with the oil. Heat a wide frying pan or sauté pan and place the mushrooms in a single layer with a little space between the slices. Fry over high medium heat for about 5 minutes per side until nicely browned. Remove them and cook the next batch in the same way until all the mushrooms are done.

14 oz (400 g) King oyster mushrooms, sliced into ¼ inch slices

Neutral oil

2. Melt the butter and mix it with soy sauce, garlic, honey, black pepper, and MSG.

2 oz (50 g) butter

1½ tbsp (22 ½ ml) light Thai soy sauce

1½ tbsp (22 ½ ml) sweet Thai soy sauce

1½ tbsp (22 ½ ml) mushroom Thai soy sauce

1 tbsp (15 ml) garlic, finely grated

½ tsp (2 ½ ml) honey

Freshly ground black pepper

½ tsp (2 ½ ml) MSG * See note 1 below

3. Put the mushrooms back into the hot pan. Pour the butter and soy glaze over them and turn off the heat. Mix well so the mushrooms are coated with the sauce. Stir in the spring onion and set aside.

⅔ cup (150 ml) scallions, thinly sliced

Pasta

4. Bring a large pot of water to a boil and add salt once it boils (**see tip 1 below). Cook the pasta al dente according to the package instructions. Drain the pasta but reserve at least 1 ⅔ cups of pasta water and set aside.

1.1 lb (500 g) Tagliatelle or other wide pasta

5. Heat a large sauté or frying pan with a little oil. Add the shallots, garlic, and red chili and sauté, stirring, until the onions are soft but not browned.

Neutral oil

2 tbsp (30 ml) garlic, finely grated

⅓ cup + 1 tbsp (100 ml) shallot, finely chopped

2 tsp (10 ml) medium-hot red chili, finely chopped

6. Add half of the pasta water, the bouillon cubes, and the mushroom powder, and let it simmer until the liquid has reduced by half.

¾ cup + 1 tbsp (200 ml) pasta water

2 cubes mushroom bouillon

2 tbsp (10 ml) mushroom powder (ground dried mushrooms)

7. Add the cream and the remaining pasta water gradually. Let it cook and thicken before adding more.

1 cup + 2 tsp (250 ml) heavy cream (40%)

¾ cup + 1 tbsp (200 ml) pasta water

8. Melt the butter and mix it with the different types of soy sauce, honey, and MSG. Set aside.

⅓ cup + 1 tbsp (100 g) butter

3 tbsp (45 ml) light Thai soy sauce

3 tbsp (45 ml) dark sweet Thai soy sauce

1 tbsp (15 ml) mushroom Thai soy sauce

1½ tsp (7½ ml) honey

1 tsp (5 ml) MSG * See note 1 below

9. Add the cooked pasta to the pan with the cream sauce and mix well.

Cooked 1.1 lb (500 g) (uncooked weight) Tagliatelle or other wide pasta

10. Add the butter–soy sauce mixture and the Parmesan. Mix well and let it cook for a minute.

¾ cup + 1 tbsp (200 ml) Parmesan cheese, finely grated

11. Fold in the spring onion.

¾ cup + 1 tbsp (200 ml) scallions, thinly sliced

12. Add spices and honey. Taste and adjust seasoning if needed.

Pul biber, dried peperoncino, or chili flakes to taste

Freshly ground black pepper

1½ tsp (7 ½ ml) honey

Salt if needed

13. Serve the pasta on warm plates topped with the fried mushrooms in their glaze, as well as Parmesan, chili, and spring onion.

Glazed King oyster mushrooms

Red chili, thinly sliced

Scallion, green part, thinly sliced

Parmesan, finely grated

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Tip & tricks

Note 1: MSG, also known as monosodium glutamate or simply glutamate, is the umami flavor in powdered form. MSG is a very common seasoning and flavor enhancer in Asian cuisine and goes well with everything. It is an approved additive in Sweden and is also labeled as E-621. Chemically, it is the salt of glutamic acid, produced microbiologically through fermentation. Only very small doses are needed to enhance the flavor.

Tip 1: Use ½ tablespoon of salt (10 grams) per just over 1 quart (1000 ml) of water. Use 1 ½ tablespoons of salt (30 grams) per 3.2 quarts (3000 ml) of water. Add the salt only once the water is boiling, as adding it earlier can increase the time it takes for the water to boil.

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