Name: Enoki Mushroom Salad
Cuisine: 和食
Ingredients: Enoki mushrooms, to taste; Potato starch, to taste; Flour, to taste; Lettuce, to taste; Cherry tomatoes, to taste; Ponzu, to taste; Olive oil, to taste; Watercress, to taste; Sudachi citrus, to taste; Frying oil, to taste

About "Enoki Mushroom Salad"

This is a clever recipe by Rokusaburo Michiba where enoki mushrooms are coated in a mixture of potato starch and flour, then deep-fried to become the star of a salad. By keeping the base (root end) intact to use as a handle, you can fry the mushrooms beautifully in a fan shape without them falling apart. Massaging the lettuce by hand softens it, making it easier to eat and helping the dressing cling better. The seasoning is simple—just ponzu and olive oil—which highlights the savory aroma and natural sweetness of the fried enoki. Finished with peeled cherry tomatoes, watercress, and sudachi citrus for a colorful presentation.

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Tips for Making "Enoki Mushroom Salad"

Prep
- Keep the base of the enoki mushrooms intact. Using the base as a handle prevents them from scattering in the oil, allowing them to fry beautifully in a fan shape.
Prep
- After washing the lettuce, squeeze and massage it firmly by hand to soften it. This makes it easier to eat and helps the ponzu and olive oil cling to it dramatically better.
Prep
- Blanch and peel the cherry tomatoes to improve their texture.
Coating
- Coat the enoki mushrooms completely in a flour blend made of potato starch and flour.
Frying
- Hold the mushrooms by the base and lower them into the oil, frying until crispy and golden. Cut off the base only after frying, then tear them into bite-sized pieces.
Seasoning
- Season simply with ponzu and olive oil. No sugar or sweeteners are needed, as the natural sweetness of the fried enoki shines through.
Plating
- Toss the fried, torn enoki and massaged lettuce with ponzu and olive oil in a bowl, then plate with height. Garnish with cherry tomatoes, watercress, and sudachi for a colorful finish.

Ingredients for "Enoki Mushroom Salad"

10 items

* Tap ingredient names to find on Amazon

Enokimushrooms, to taste
Potatostarch, to taste
Flour,to taste
Lettuce,to taste
Cherrytomatoes, to taste
Ponzu,to taste
Oliveoil, to taste
Watercress,to taste
Sudachicitrus, to taste
Fryingoil, to taste

How to Make "Enoki Mushroom Salad"

1
Keep the base (root end) of the enoki mushrooms intact without cutting it off.
2
Mix the potato starch and flour together to make a flour blend, and coat the enoki mushrooms completely.
3
Holding the mushrooms by the base, place them into the hot oil. Fry them so they fan out beautifully, and remove once they are crispy and golden brown.
4
Cut off the base of the fried enoki mushrooms, and tear them into bite-sized pieces by hand.
5
Wash the lettuce, then squeeze and massage it firmly with your hands to soften it.
6
Blanch and peel the cherry tomatoes.
7
In a bowl, combine the massaged lettuce and the torn fried enoki, then toss gently with ponzu and olive oil.
8
Plate the salad with height, then garnish with the peeled cherry tomatoes, plenty of watercress, and a halved sudachi citrus to finish.

Detailed Commentary on "Enoki Mushroom Salad"

* Content organized by topics from the video.

Michiba's Popular School Days & Calligraphy

Iron Chef Rokusaburo Michiba appears full of energy at 95 years old. In the opening, when asked what kind of elementary school student he was, Michiba smiles and recalls, 'I was quite popular.' He shares a playful childhood story of how everyone would gather around him during recess, and when he ran out of things to talk about, he would even make up stories to keep them entertained. Later, in his customary calligraphy segment, he presents the phrase 'Choyo no Jo' (the order of elders and youth). With masterful brushstrokes, he illustrates this timeless concept of respect and courtesy between generations, where elders cherish the young and the young respect their elders.

Today's Star: The Humble Enoki Mushroom

Today's featured ingredient is the household favorite, enoki mushrooms. Lifting a large bowl reveals a magnificent bunch of enoki. When asked if he uses them at home, Michiba happily replies, 'My children buy them for me sometimes.' While enoki mushrooms are affordable and commonly used in hot pots and stir-fries, Michiba uses a 'clever trick' to transform them into the star of an unprecedented salad. After writing 'Enoki Mushroom Salad' on the menu card, the Iron Chef begins preparing this unique, creative dish in his kitchen.

Deep-Frying Enoki: A Professional Trick

The first step is prepping and frying the enoki mushrooms. Michiba carefully coats the mushrooms in a blend of potato starch and flour. Here, a surprising professional technique shines: he leaves the base of the enoki intact while dusting them. Michiba smiles and says, 'It's much easier to fry them when you hold onto the base.' By holding the base as you lower them into the oil, the mushrooms fan out beautifully without scattering. The fried enoki emerges with a crispy, golden-brown crust and a wonderful savory aroma.

Massaging Lettuce for Better Texture

Next, we prepare the lettuce base. Michiba takes washed raw lettuce and begins squeezing it firmly with his hands. 'If you massage the lettuce a bit, it becomes much easier to eat,' he explains. While crisp lettuce salads are common, he notes that softening it slightly makes it far gentler on the palate for seniors and young children. Furthermore, massaging breaks down the fibers just enough to allow the dressing to cling dramatically better—a highly logical step packed with the Iron Chef's wisdom.

Colorful Toppings & Attention to Detail

Only at this stage does he cut off the base of the fried enoki, tearing them into bite-sized pieces to combine with the massaged lettuce. The seasoning is simple: just ponzu and olive oil. After tossing them quickly in a bowl, he plates the salad with height. For the topping, he uses cherry tomatoes pre-peeled by Chef Yamamoto. Michiba shares his personal preference: 'I don't like tomato skins, so I peel them for everything.' Garnish with plenty of watercress and a halved sudachi citrus to complete this visually vibrant and refreshing dish.

Tasting: Crispy Fried Enoki Salad

Michiba tastes the completed salad with his granddaughter, Natsuki Samejima. Squeezing the sudachi and taking a bite, Natsuki raves, 'Delicious! Frying them makes them taste so much better.' Frying enhances the savory aroma of the enoki, making them the undisputed star of the dish. She also appreciates the massaged lettuce: 'The dressing doesn't splatter, so you don't have to worry about getting it on your clothes, and the flavors blend beautifully.' Despite no added sugar, the natural sweetness of the enoki shines through, proving the Iron Chef's clever trick a resounding success.

About 鉄人の台所

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