Matsutake Gohan (Pine Mushroom Cooked Rice)

A super seasonal delicacy thats simple to make, very unique and delicately delicious.

Matsutake mushrooms, or pine mushrooms, are a super seasonal foraged mushroom that are prized for their distinct and spicy aroma as well as their meaty texture and bite. TIP: Matsutake grow in the brush of the forest floor and can be very dirty. To Clean them, use a slightly damp cloth, followed by some paper towels to remove any last dirt and moisture. Try to avoid rinsing or soaking them as they will absorb a lot of moisture.

Their foraging season is short lived in the fall, making them a bit of a pricier mushroom at around $20 or $30 a pound for domestic grown mushrooms. Fun fact: Japanese matsutake can sometimes go for well over $400 a pound, making them the world’s most expensive mushroom variety!

Here we’re using some domestic matsutake to make ‘Matsutake Gohan which literally translates to ‘Pine Mushroom Cooked Rice’. It’s about as simple as it gets and is a lovely way to let the mushrooms natural flavor and texture shine.

Below is the full recipe and step by step instructions for this, along with a recipe mod to make this vegan and a social video!

Cheers,

Joey