How To Make a Flower Pattern on Shiitake Mushroom Caps
Servings: 5
Learn how to make a flower pattern on shiitake mushroom caps with my quick and easy tutorial. This decorative cutting technique is a simple way to enhance the visual presentation of your Japanese hot pots, simmered dishes, and celebratory meals.
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Instructions
- Clean the dirt and debris from a fresh shiitake mushroom with a soft brush, paper towel, or a clean kitchen towel. Then, cut off the stem with a kitchen knife.
- Make a first cutout on the cap: Hold the shiitake mushroom with the cap side up. Using the heel of a sharp knife, insert the blade at an angle to make a long, shallow, and beveled incision across the center of the cap. Next, rotate the mushroom 180 degrees—this makes it easier to insert the knife at the same angle for a clean, even cut. Make a second symmetrical cut that's beveled toward the first incision to form a V-shaped cutout. Carefully slice off the top layer of the mushroom to expose the white flesh underneath. This will form a petal-like shape.
- Make a second cutout: In the same manner, add cutouts to form an X with the first cutout. Make sure all cuts are shallow and symmetrical.
- Create additional cuts: Continue adding extra cutouts between each petal to create a flower or star pattern.
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