🌿 Folk Prescriptions

When dining out with friends, mushrooms are often served. I’ve noticed that Host 11 loves mushrooms—he always orders “mushroom and cabbage.” When asked why, he said it’s a nutritional powerhouse and once considered a luxury food rarely accessible to ordinary people. Now, with frequent social engagements, instead of overindulging in greasy meats, we should eat more mushrooms—they’re beneficial for health.
Mushrooms are a premium food with rich nutrition, traditionally one of the “Eight Mountain Delicacies.” Scientific analysis shows protein content at 19%, fat at 4%, soluble non-nitrogenous substances at 97%, and abundant ergosterol. Mushroom proteins contain up to 18 amino acids, including seven of the eight essential amino acids required by humans. Mushrooms are also rich in glutamic acid, various vitamins, and proteins—earning them the nickname “Treasure House of Vitamins.” Additionally, mushroom fats contain large amounts of linoleic acid, along with abundant calcium, iron, copper—essential blood-building components—making mushrooms nutritionally superior to all vegetables.
As a dual-purpose ingredient for food and medicine, mushrooms can prevent colds. Research confirms mushrooms contain an antiviral substance called mushroom ribonucleic acid (MRNA), which stimulates the body to produce interferon. Mushrooms contain about 30 enzymes, showing therapeutic effects on infectious hepatitis. Mushrooms also exhibit anticancer properties—by effectively inhibiting tumor cells and promoting antibody formation.
Mushrooms have now become common on everyday tables. Beyond the classic “mushroom and cabbage” found in restaurants and family meals, here are some simple recipes:
1. Mushrooms with Tender Greens
Ingredients: Mushrooms, tender greens, salt, monosodium glutamate (MSG), green vegetables, soy sauce.
Preparation: Soak mushrooms, drain, sauté lightly with a little oil, add a few drops of soy sauce, and set aside. Wash and tear green vegetables.
Heat a wok with a small amount of salad oil. Once hot, stir-fry green vegetables with a pinch of salt and MSG, add half a small spoon of clear broth, simmer for two minutes, plate, then top with the sautéed mushrooms.
2. Stir-Fried Greens with Mushrooms
Ingredients: 3 rehydrated mushrooms, two handfuls of small greens, one clove of garlic.
Preparation: Cut each mushroom into four pieces. Wash and drain greens. Crush and chop garlic.
Heat a wok over high flame, add oil until smoking, stir-fry garlic until fragrant, add mushrooms and stir briefly, then add greens and salt. If too much liquid, add a little water starch to thicken. Drizzle a drop of sesame oil and a pinch of MSG.
3. Medicinal Dish – Braised Chicken with Mushrooms
Ingredients: 20g golden needle mushrooms, 1 piece of fresh ginger (thinly sliced), 1 whole chicken (1000g), 2 large spoons soy sauce, 8 dried mushrooms, 10g rehydrated wood ear mushrooms, 1 bamboo shoot (sliced), 1 green onion (cut into segments), reserved juice, appropriate amount of water starch.
Preparation: Clean and prepare the chicken, remove excess water, brush the entire surface with soy sauce, then deep-fry in oil until reddish-brown.
Wash golden needle mushrooms, soak in water until soft, discard tough parts, reserve the juice.
Wash dried mushrooms, soak in 3 cups of water until soft, remove and reserve mushroom juice.
Heat a wok, stir-fry green onion and ginger, add bamboo shoots, mushrooms, mushroom juice, golden needle juice, water, wine, soy sauce, sugar, and chicken. Simmer for about 20–30 minutes until chicken is fully cooked.
Add golden needle mushrooms, cook briefly, thicken with starch slurry, and serve.