● Species profile
Nameko
Pholiota microspora
Photo: Hillbourne, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
CulinaryEvidence: Limited
Small amber caps with a natural slippery coating, a staple of Japanese miso soup. The gel thickens broth the way okra does. It grows well on hardwood and makes a good cool-weather grow kit.
Shroomer Score#10 of 50 species
3.8Medicinal Value · 30%2/5
Edibility · 20%5/5
Easy to Identify · 20%4/5
Easy to Grow · 15%4/5
Sustainability · 15%5/5
Search popularity●●○○○
How we score →In the Kitchen
How to Cook Nameko
- Flavor
- Nutty, buttery
- Texture
- Silky, with a natural slippery coating
- Best ways to cook
- Miso soup, noodle soups, and grated daikon dishes. The gel thickens broth.
- Pairs with
- Miso, tofu, daikon, soba, scallions
- Prep tip
- Give it a quick rinse only. The coating is the point.
- Storage
- Fridge, 3 to 5 days.
Find it asFresh or jarred (Japanese markets), grow kit
Cooking isn't only about flavor. Mushroom cell walls are built from chitin, which is hard to digest raw. Heat breaks it down, which helps your body get at the beta-glucans and other compounds the research focuses on.
The Research, Minus the Jargon
Ten new studies a week, each boiled down to what it found and why it matters to you. Free, and one click to leave.