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Chinese stuffed mushrooms are the perfect bite-sized pieces to serve as a light meal or appetizer for any occasion like Chinese New Year. The center of the shiitake mushrooms is stuffed with a juicy pork-based filling mixed with finely chopped vegetables and seasoned to perfection. You can customize the filling according to your liking, whether you like it savory, meaty, or all-veggie.
What To Know About Chinese Stuffed Mushrooms
Don’t be intimidated by their looks because these Chinese stuffed mushrooms are quite easy to make. This recipe just requires more active preparation time, especially when it comes to making the filling and placing it in each shiitake mushroom cap.
The filling is made with minced pork, seasonings, and finely chopped vegetables, such as green onions, ginger, and carrots.
If you don’t like pork, you can swap it for other protein substitutes like chicken, beef, shrimp, tofu, or soy meat.
I seasoned the filling with some salt, cooking wine, light soy sauce, bouillon powder, white pepper, and sesame oil. After making the filling, it is placed in the mushroom caps with the stems removed.
You only need to pan-fry them until golden brown on both sides and then steam for 12 minutes. When you are done steaming, simply drizzle some light soy sauce, garnish with more green onions and red peppers, and pour hot oil over.
It may be a lot of work and quite a list of ingredients, but trust me, it is going to be worth it!
If you love mushrooms like I do, here are some mushroom recipes to try:
- Crispy Fried Oyster Mushrooms
- Stir-Fried Bok Choy And Mushrooms
- Tofu With Minced Pork & Mushrooms
- Creamy Mushroom Soup
- Mushroom Grilled Cheese Sandwich
- Lu Rou Fan
How To Customize Each Ingredient
It is easy to customize this dish based on your dietary requirements and preferred taste. So whether you like it savory or spicy, or maybe all-meat or all-veggie, it is totally up to you! Here are some ideas on how to customize each ingredient:
- Fresh shiitake mushrooms: I love using shiitake mushrooms because they are smoky, umami, and ‘meaty’. Ideally, shiitake mushrooms are best for this recipe since their caps can hold a filling in the center.
- It is best to use large shiitake mushrooms to have more filling in the center and save time. If you use small shiitake mushrooms, you can only fill them with a small amount of filling, which will take a lot of time to make.
- For a deeper flavor profile, use dried shiitake mushrooms and soak them in hot water until fully rehydrated.
- You will need to separate the stems but don’t throw them out just yet since these are included in the filling. I used kitchen scissors to remove the stems easily.
- To clean fresh mushrooms, I recommend using a damp paper towel to wipe off any dirt. I don’t like washing mushrooms with water since they will become soggy after absorbing more moisture.
- Filling:
- Minced pork: I used ground pork, but you can opt for pork cuts and blend them until ground. If you don’t like pork, you can use other meat types, such as beef, chicken, or shrimp. For our vegetarian and vegan friends, opt for crumbled firm tofu, minced soy meat, or finely chopped mushrooms.
- Salt: Salt enhances the flavors of the seasonings for the filling. Use any type of salt, such as sea salt, pink salt, and kosher salt, and adjust to taste.
- Cooking wine: Cooking wine usually imparts a sweet and briny taste. You can use Shaoxing rice wine, mirin, sake, dry sherry, or alcohol-free wine. The taste may vary slightly depending on the type you use.
- Light soy sauce: A filling won’t be complete without a bit of salty and umami flavors with light soy sauce. It just makes the flavor even better with its rich, savory taste. You can also use tamari, liquid aminos, coconut aminos, or gluten-free soy sauce. If you want to impart a deep color and a slightly sweet taste, you can incorporate dark soy sauce as well.
- Bouillon powder: Bouillon powder is a flavor enhancer. It is optional, but highly recommended for that extra oomph! I used chicken bouillon powder, but you can use vegetable, chicken-flavored, or Italian seasoning mix.
- White pepper powder: You will love white pepper for its bright, earthy, and musty taste. It has a more subtle heat compared to black pepper which produces a spicy heat. Although black pepper is an excellent alternative, it will be more woody and piney to taste.
- Cornstarch: Cornstarch improves the texture of the filling by making it thicker. It helps hold everything together and prevent the filling from falling apart. This also adds a thin coating to the filling, which protects the meat from overcooking and hardening. You can replace cornstarch with the following alternatives using a 1:1 ratio.
- All-Purpose Flour
- Arrowroot Powder
- Tapioca Starch/Flour
- Potato Starch
- Rice Flour
- Egg white: Egg white is another key ingredient for structural stability, which means it helps make the filling thicker and hold its shape better. It also serves as a meat tenderizer. To separate the egg white from the yolk, crack open the egg in half and use the egg shells to pass the egg yolk back and forth until the egg whites are fully drained onto the filling. Alternatively, you can also crack the egg in a bowl and scoop out the egg yolk. If you have a plastic bottle, use this as a suction to suction out the egg yolk.
- Green onions: Chopped green onion is the perfect addition for a mild sweetness and onion taste for the filling. You can swap this with chives, shallots, white onions, yellow onions, or red onions.
- Ginger: Ginger adds a slightly sweet taste and a warming kick. You can swap fresh ginger with ground ginger by using 1/4 to 1/2 tsp ground ginger for every 1 tbsp of fresh ginger.
- Carrots: Use finely chopped carrots to make them fit snugly in the mushroom caps. Aside from carrots, you can add other vegetables you like, such as finely chopped cabbage, bell pepper, and potatoes.
- Shiitake mushroom stems: Don’t throw out the stems! Use the stems as an additional ingredient for the filling. These should be finely chopped as well or ground using a food processor. You can swap the stems with other types of mushrooms, such as button, oyster, and porcini mushrooms.
- Sesame oil: Make it taste more Asian with the earthy and nutty taste of sesame oil. Apart from flavor, sesame oil helps keep the filling moist and prevents it from drying out. You can replace sesame oil with other types of oil, but the taste will be different. Swap it with olive, avocado, or safflower oil for a healthier option. If you want a neutral taste, go for peanut, soybean, or vegetable oil.
- Flour: All-purpose flour is only needed for the base of the mushroom caps. It is sprinkled on top before pressing the filling onto the mushrooms. In this way, it helps stick the filling better onto the mushroom caps without falling off. You can swap flour with cornstarch, tapioca starch, or other types of flour.
- Toppings/Garnish: After pan-frying and steaming the mushrooms, I drizzled some light soy sauce on top and garnished it with chopped green onions and red peppers. This is the ultimate combination for a savory and mild onion finish. For extra flavor and sizzle, I poured hot oil all over the mushrooms. By doing so, it imparts a savory sauce to the mushrooms. This technique is commonly used in Chinese steamed dishes, like steamed fish, to enhance the flavor profile. Apart from the toppings, you can also add some side vegetables for extra fiber and color. Vegetables that pair well with the mushrooms are bok choy, spinach, napa cabbage, or other green leafy vegetables.
Ingredients And Kitchenware
Prepare a mixing bowl for the filling and a tool to cut off the mushroom stems. You will also need a pan for pan-frying and a steamer. If you don’t have a steamer, you can still steam without a steamer by making an improvised steamer.
For instance, you can use a pan with a steamer rack or a sieve. If you are cooking rice in a rice cooker with a steaming basket, I recommend steaming the mushrooms in the steaming basket as the rice cooks. Here are the ingredients to prepare:
- 15 to 20 fresh shiitake mushrooms (stems separated for the filling)
- Filling: Adjust the seasonings to taste.
- 200g minced pork
- 1 tsp of salt
- 1 tbsp of cooking wine
- 1 tbsp of light soy sauce (to taste)
- ½ tsp of chicken bouillon powder
- ½ tsp of white pepper
- 1 tsp of cornstarch
- 1 egg white
- 2 tbsp of chopped green onion
- 1 tsp of minced ginger
- 1 tbsp of finely chopped carrots
- Shiitake mushroom stems (finely chopped)
- 1 tbsp of sesame oil
- Flour
- A drizzle of light soy sauce
- Chopped green onions
- Chopped red peppers
- A drizzle of hot oil
Instructions: How To Make Chinese Stuffed Mushrooms
Once all the ingredients are chopped and ready, simply mix the filling and place it on the mushrooms. Then, all you have to do is pan-fry and steam the mushrooms. As a final touch, drizzle the flavoring ingredients – and you’re done!
Watch each step closely on Instagram or TikTok. When you are done, don’t forget to comment in the comments section to share your tips and ideas. Share your version of this recipe by posting a photo and tagging me @kitchenmisadventures!
- Clean the shiitake mushrooms by removing dirt on the surface using a damp paper towel. If using dried shiitake mushrooms, rehydrate them by soaking them in hot water.
- Remove the mushroom stems using a knife or kitchen scissors. Then, finely chop the mushroom stems and set aside. In this step, you can also finely chop the green onions, ginger, and carrots for the filling.
- In a bowl, mix minced pork with salt, cooking wine, light soy sauce, chicken bouillon powder, white pepper, cornstarch, and egg white. Adjust to taste.
- Add chopped green onions, minced ginger, finely chopped carrots, and chopped mushroom stems to the mixture. Stir well.
- Finally, add sesame oil to the filling and mix well.
- Sprinkle some flour on the shiitake mushrooms.
- Fill each mushroom cap with a spoonful of the meat mixture, pressing it down gently and smoothing the edges. It is important that the filling is well-compressed onto the mushroom caps so that it does not easily fall off.
- Heat oil in a pan and fry the stuffed mushrooms until golden brown on the sides. Fry the filling side first, then turn over to fry the caps.
- Transfer the mushrooms to a heat-resistant plate and bring a pot of water to a boil. Steam them over medium heat for 12 minutes.
- Once steamed, drizzle light soy sauce and garnish with chopped green onions and red peppers. Finish the recipe by pouring hot oil over the mushrooms. Serve this dish while hot and fresh!
How To Make Chinese Stuffed Mushrooms
Ingredients
- 15 to 20 fresh shiitake mushrooms stems separated for the filling
Filling: Adjust the seasonings to taste.
- 200 g minced pork
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 tbsp cooking wine
- 1 tbsp light soy sauce to taste
- ½ tsp chicken bouillon powder
- ½ tsp white pepper
- 1 tsp cornstarch
- 1 egg white
- 2 tbsp chopped green onion
- 1 tsp minced ginger
- 1 tbsp finely chopped carrots
- Shiitake mushroom stems finely chopped
- 1 tbsp sesame oil
- Flour
- A drizzle of light soy sauce
- Chopped green onions
- Chopped red peppers
- A drizzle of hot oil
Instructions
- Clean the shiitake mushrooms by removing dirt on the surface using a damp paper towel. If using dried shiitake mushrooms, rehydrate them by soaking them in hot water.
- Remove the mushroom stems using a knife or kitchen scissors. Then, finely chop the mushroom stems and set aside. In this step, you can also finely chop the green onions, ginger, and carrots for the filling.
- In a bowl, mix minced pork with salt, cooking wine, light soy sauce, chicken bouillon powder, white pepper, cornstarch, and egg white. Adjust to taste.
- Add chopped green onions, minced ginger, finely chopped carrots, and chopped mushroom stems to the mixture. Stir well.
- Finally, add sesame oil to the filling and mix well.
- Sprinkle some flour on the shiitake mushrooms.
- Fill each mushroom cap with a spoonful of the meat mixture, pressing it down gently and smoothing the edges. It is important that the filling is well-compressed onto the mushroom caps so that it does not easily fall off.
- Heat oil in a pan and fry the stuffed mushrooms until golden brown on the sides. Fry the filling side first, then turn over to fry the caps.
- Transfer the mushrooms to a heat-resistant plate and bring a pot of water to a boil. Steam them over medium heat for 12 minutes.
- Once steamed, drizzle light soy sauce and garnish with chopped green onions and red peppers. Finish the recipe by pouring hot oil over the mushrooms. Serve this dish while hot and fresh!
