Storing and Cooking
In India, the use of mushrooms is still not very popular. It is considered as some animal food and is hardly consumed by people on a day to day basis.
Mushrooms are extremely porous and therefore cannot be exposed to too much water. Therefore the best way to clean mushrooms is to clean them using minimal water. They could simply be wiped with a damp cloth.
If the whole mushroom is to be used then the very bottom of the stem should be sliced off before using.
If only the caps are required then the stem needs to be gently broken and discarded.
Sautéing mushrooms is the best way of cooking and eating them. Mushrooms contain a lot of moisture and thereby, they release a lot of liquid on cooking. They are used in multiple ways, for example, they can be eaten as a vegetable or stir-fried or added in soups and salads.
Alternatively, mushrooms could be frozen. After cleaning and slicing the end, one can either sauté (with little butter, cook till dry and water evaporates) or steam (microwave) them and then cool and freeze them. They should be used within a few months.
