Wild Matsutake Morel and Cordyceps Mushrooms Soup

Wild Matsutake Morel and Cordyceps Mushroom Soup 松茸菇羊肚菌石斛養生湯 is an umami and nutrient-rich broth! This immune system-boosting adaptogenic soup has a remarkable impact on helping your body reduce stress, anxiety and fatigue. Traditional Chinese Medicine properties enter the stomach and intestines, regulate Qi and calm the mind. 

> In This Post: Everything You'll Need For The Best Matsutake Mushrooms Soup

Fresh Pine mushrooms have a unique aroma, black pepper flavour and amino acids, which makes this pork bone and chicken soup very popular in recent years.

Count on a restful sleep after a bowl or two of this soup made with medicinal mushrooms. 

Check out this quick story summary of our recipe!

Jump to:

• > In This Post: Everything You'll Need For The Best Matsutake Mushrooms Soup
• What Are Matsutake Mushrooms?
• Ingredients and Substitutes
• Instructions
• Other Delicious Soup Recipes
• What To Serve With Matsutake Cordyceps Pork Bone Soup
• > Recipe Card
• Wild Matsutake Morel and Cordyceps Mushrooms Soup

What Are Matsutake Mushrooms?

Matsutake mushrooms grow connected to the roots of red pine trees. These wild mushrooms require ample rain and cool temperatures early in the season. They are harvested yearly, around September to the end of October and late fall.

These mushrooms grow in several countries such as Southwest China, Japan, and South Korea in East Asia and Canada. Specifically in North America, they are active in the Pacific Northwest regions of Bella Coola, Kelowna and West Kootenays in British Columbia. 

Why Matsutake Mushrooms Are So Expensive? 

Matsutake mushrooms are expensive because these edible mushrooms can not be grown on farms. They must be foraged by hand. They grow best with red pine trees that are a few decades old or in a nice mixed-growth forest.

Foragers can find matsutake buttons blending in with the forest floor. They often do not grow at the base of a tree.

Large Matsutakes with a closed cap are the most valuable. It is something you can only eat a little small portion, given the changing climate and habitat. Matsutake mushrooms were listed at "vulnerable" in 2020.

Pine mushrooms are prized for their medicinal and anti-cancer properties!

Matsutake Mushrooms Health Benefits & TCM Properties

Matsutake Mushrooms (松茸菇, Sōngróng gū) are also called Pine mushrooms. Similar to shiitake mushrooms, which were referred to as an "elixir of life" centuries ago, matsutake mushrooms are known for strengthening the body, improving the stomach and intestines, boosting Qi, moisturizing the lungs and promoting restful sleep.

They are rich in B Vitamins, Vitamin C, amino acids, etc.

According to Traditional Chinese Medicine, matsutakes have a sweet and mild taste and enter the heart, lung, liver and kidney meridians. 

These adaptogens balance your body and regulate both physical and mental stressors.

What Does Matsutake Mushrooms Taste Like?

Matsutake mushrooms have a pungent, woodsy, and spicy aroma with notes of cypress. It is firm with a meaty texture. It is taste has sweet, rich flavor with a black pepper undertone.

How to Clean Wild Matsutake Mushrooms

Method 1 - The easiest way to clean fresh foraged matsutakes is by soaking the wild mushrooms in cold water for 10 minutes. This will loosen the sandy dirt and debris tripped in the gills. After soaking, rinse well under cold running water. Pat dry with kitchen paper towels.

Method 2 - Peel the matsutake mushrooms with a vegetable peeler to remove the top layer. Brush away the remaining debris with a mushroom brush. Rinse under cold running water. Pat dry with kitchen paper towels.

Method 3 - Blanch and par-boil pine mushrooms in a large pot. Scoop them out quickly and leave the grit behind. Pat dry with kitchen paper towels.

Freshly foraged matsutake mushrooms are usually available at your local farmer's market during the Fall season. If fresh matsutake mushrooms are unavailable, dried wild matsutake mushrooms are equally delicious! Same goes with cordyceps flowers, wild morels, shiitakes and Tremella Fuciformis (snow fungus).

Ingredients and Substitutes

This quick and easy immune-boosting soup can be made with dried or fresh mushrooms. Nourish and balance the body's Yin Yang with simple ingredients.

Matsutake Mushrooms (松茸菇, Sōngróng gū) - Medium matsutake buttons are great for soup making. Choose ones that are thick and meaty. Save the top-grade, large caps' velvety texture for stir-fried dishes and sushi. They make a very good dish.

Morel Mushrooms (羊肚菌, Yángdǔ jūn) - Morel mushrooms (Morchella esculenta) are a type of edible wild mushrooms prized for their rich mineral content and nutritious health benefits. These brown, spongy, honeycomb-capped mushrooms are rich in copper, iron, manganese, and zinc. Morels have higher protein content than common edible fungi such as shiitake mushrooms. According to Traditional Chinese Medicine, morels are neutral and sweet and harmonize the stomach and intestines, aiding digestion, resolving phlegm and regulating qi, tonifying the kidneys, nourishing the brain and refreshing the mind.

Cordyceps Mushrooms (蟲草花, Chóngcǎo huā) - Cordyceps (Cordyceps Militaris) is another excellent adaptogen fungus prized for its fantastic health benefits for centuries. Cordyceps flowers have a savoury, umami flavour with an earthy, nutty taste. The fruiting bodies of cordyceps sinensis have a vertical, finger-like appearance. Cordyceps flower is mild in nature, neither cold nor dry. It nourishes the lungs and kidneys, improves essence and Qi, benefits Yin and moisturizes the skin. If you love Cordyceps, make this Stir Fry Fresh Cordyceps Mushroom tonight!

Dendrobium (石斛, Shí hú) - comes from the family Orchidaceae. Orchids (蘭花, Lánhuā) symbolizes love, refinement, beauty, charm, and fertility, and translates to "life in a tree" in the Greek language. Frequently used parts include stem, flower and leaf. Choose a good quality dendrobium that is shiny, golden hue, and pliable. Lower quality may include tooth-shaped shards. 

According to Traditional Chinese Medicine, Dendrobium is neutral, slightly salty and sweet, bland and cool. It nourishes the stomach, kidney and Yin. In addition, Dendrobium moisturizes the lungs, improves the spleen, detoxes the liver while removing heat and calms the heart and mind. However, this herb may cause Dampness. 

Pork Ribs - Pork ribs and pork bones boost a simple TCM soup. Pork bone broth is rich in minerals, vitamins, amino acids and essential fatty acids. Pork is also a rich source of niacin and thiamine, Vitamins B12 and B6, selenium, and zinc. For a less fatty option, choose pork shank or pork tenderloin. Some winter melon Chinese soup recipes use ground pork meatballs or minced meat!

Here are a couple spareribs root-forward dishes I am genuinely obsessed with from the blog! Both these recipes are delicious and easy to make!

Other Pork Ribs Recipes

• Red Fermented Bean Curd Lotus Root Spareribs 南乳蓮藕炆排骨
• Honey Garlic Pork Ribs (Air Fry) 蒜子蜜汁骨
• Lotus Root Pork Bone Soup without Peanuts

Optional Ingredients

• Chinese Honey Dates - Adds a hint sweet flavor to tidy the flavours together.
• Aged Tangerine Peel - Excellent for balancing and tonifying Qi and stomach. 
• Ginger Slices - Add a slice of ginger if you find Matsutake mushrooms carry a damp flavour note. 
• Chicken Drumstick - Add one or two skinless drumsticks if you want an extra nourishing bowl of Matsutake mushroom pork and chicken broth.
• Fresh or Dried Conch - Add this for extra umami flavour and boost in Yin.
• Tremella Fuciformis (snow fungus) - supplement to strengthen the body, treat high blood pressure, and rejuvenating the skin.

Most dry goods ingredients, tools and supplies can be purchased at your local Asian markets and Chinese grocery stores or Amazon Online.

Vegan Matsutake Mushroom Soup Option

Omit both meat and seafood for a vegetarian / vegan low calorie mushroom soup.

Instructions

Soak the herbs for 5-10 minutes in a small bowl to remove traces of impurities. This will help remove dust and debris. Rinse and set aside in a small bowl.  

Wash the pork ribs, pork shank or tenderloin with cold water and pat dry with a kitchen paper towel. It is only necessary to cut the pork ribs into small pieces if your pot needs to be bigger.

Blanched pork ribs in a medium pot to remove the impurities and excess foam. Rinse with cold water. Set aside.

If using dried wild mushrooms, soak for minimum of 2 hours to resuscitate.

If using fresh wild mushrooms, clean, pat dry with paper towels and slice into smaller pieces.

To make the matsutake mushroom soup, add the edible mushroom slices, pork and herbal ingredients into a clean soup pot not made of stainless steel like THIS Perfect Pot or a Buydeem Health Beverage Maker. 

Although not all Chinese herbs react with metal, it is best not to use a metal pot when making Chinese medicinal herbal soups.

Fill a large pot of water with enough water to cover to make the clear soup stock. We used approximately 4 litres of cold water. 

Boil at high heat for 30 minutes, then reduce to low heat. Slow simmer for 60 minutes on low heat.

If you find your pot of soup is low in liquid, where most of the liquid has evaporated, add a bit of boiled hot water to the soup and continue cooking.

Salt to taste.

Serve and enjoy. 

Next time, buy extra matsutake mushrooms and braise them in an Instant Pot pressure cooker with slices of spare ribs to make a tender pot of Red Fermented Bean Curd Lotus Root Spareribs 南乳蓮藕炆排骨. It's a main dish that takes a little time to prepare!

Other Delicious Soup Recipes

Find the harmony you miss with this delicious, immune-boosting, nutritious soup menu. Take back control of your mood and recharge energy levels by balancing your hormones and minerals. A bowl of nourishing soup is the quintessential embodiment of easily digestible southern Chinese cooking. 

• Ba Wong Fa Soup for Cough and Phlegm 霸王花無花果瘦肉響螺湯
• Tiger Milk Mushroom Lung Nourishing Soup 虎乳靈芝潤肺湯
• Moisturizing Chinese Apple Sea Coconut Soup 雪梨蘋果海底椰玉竹無花果湯
• Chinese Papaya Soup with Black Eyed Peas (Easy) 木瓜花生眉豆雪耳雞腳湯 
• Si Shen Tang Herbal Soup Adrenal Fatigue 四神湯
• Silkie Chicken Cordyceps Fish Maw Conch Soup 蟲草花花膠响螺煲烏雞湯
• Chinese Kabocha Pork Ribs Soup 南北杏南瓜排骨湯
• Chinese Papaya Dessert with Snow Fungus 木瓜雪耳糖水

What To Serve With Matsutake Cordyceps Pork Bone Soup

This great recipe is delicious umami-rich comfort food in Asian cuisines. It is perfect as a meal prep Fall dish. 

Enjoy this flavourful mushroom broth alone or with a complete meal! Here are some of our favourite TCM wellness dishes.

• Stir-Fried Bean Sprouts and Chives 爆炒豆芽菜韭菜
• Fish Maw Crab Meat Soup 蟹肉魚肚羹 (鱼膘羹)
• Instant Pot Braised Chinese Mushrooms 髮菜炆冬菇食譜
• Red Fermented Bean Curd Lotus Root Spareribs 南乳蓮藕炆排骨
• Steamed Chicken with Cordyceps Mushrooms and Black Goji 黑枸杞蟲草花蒸雞

After eating lots of heavy, rich, and deep-fried foods, a great way to reduce heat is with a bowl of this liver-detoxing Chinese Sweet Mung Bean Soup 綠豆沙 or Hawthorn Goji Berry Tea Digestion Tea 山楂杞子茶 that aids digestion.

I'd love to see how you went with my recipes! Leave a comment below or tag me on Instagram @INSTANOMSS #INSTANOMSS.

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