3 Ingredients, No Ideas!!

crewsk

New member
A friend gave me a package of pearl rice, some sort of dried mushrooms, & a bunch of cortex cinnamon sticks/bark. First of all I need help identifying the mushrooms, second, what do I do with those & the rice, & last but not least the cinnamon, I have a few ideas for that one. I know I'll have to use it whole because I have no way of grinding it. I added pics of each product so you can see what I'm working with & hopefully tell me what kind of mushrooms I have.
 

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GotGarlic

New member
Hi, Crewsk. I don't know what kind of mushrooms those are, but I did a Google search for "chinese recipe mushrooms rice cinnamon" and this came up: Chinese Beef-and-Mushroom Stew with Whole Spices

I doubt it really matters what kind of mushrooms or rice you use with this recipe. I often sub different types of the same ingredient when I cook. Hope this helps.
 

FryBoy

New member
What you have is cortex cinnamomi, which is not true cinnamon. Rather it's the bark of the cassia tree. It's used in herbal medicine, especially traditional Chinese medicine. It's also used in cooking, but from what I've read it has a stronger, less subtle flavor, and it's cheaper than the real thing. Personally, I wouldn't use it -- strange Chinese foodstuff scares me.

Here's a Wikipedia page about the stuff: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cinnamomum_aromaticum
 

joec

New member
Gold Site Supporter
I was thinking along the same line but more on the Indian side - maybe add a little curry, green onion and raisins too....

That would work for me too rickismom. I have a large bag of the mushrooms I purchased a while back and will rehydrate them tonight and add them to my fried rice.
 

QSis

Grill Master
Staff member
Gold Site Supporter
The mushrooms are dried shitakes and are ubiquitous in Asian supermarkets around here.

It's best to re-hydrate them by putting them in a bowl of water, then nuking them for a couple of minutes and letting them sit for about a half hour. You can then slice or chop them and use them in anything.

I make Chinese Hot and Sour soup, with shitakes, fresh button mushrooms, a can of straw mushrooms and dried wood ears (optional). And canned bamboo shoots, too. I have a recipe at home somewhere if you want it, Crewsk.

I serve the soup over chinese noodles, but I bet it would be great over a bowl of the pearl rice!

Lee
 

crewsk

New member
QSis, I'd love the recipe!! Thanks for all the help y'all!! I'm off work next Tuesday so I'll have some time to play with what I've got.
 

Constance

New member
What you have is cortex cinnamomi, which is not true cinnamon. Rather it's the bark of the cassia tree. It's used in herbal medicine, especially traditional Chinese medicine. It's also used in cooking, but from what I've read it has a stronger, less subtle flavor, and it's cheaper than the real thing. Personally, I wouldn't use it -- strange Chinese foodstuff scares me.

Here's a Wikipedia page about the stuff: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cinnamomum_aromaticum

If you are in the U.S. or Canada, ground Cassia is what you will find in the jar of cinnamon you buy from the grocery store.
The sticks are great for spiced tea or apple cider. They can also be added to potpourri.
 

lilbopeep

🌹🐰 Still trying to get it right.
Site Supporter
you can also throw the cinnamon sticks in oatmeal made with old fashioned rolled oats that cooks for awhile.
 

lesley

New member
If you have a coffee grinder you can whizz the cinnamon sticks to get powder, pearl rice I would use for rice pudding & sprinkle the cin powder on top (or nutmeg)
or you could do a risotto with the rice & m/rooms, i think you've got quite a few ideas here..good luck :0)
 
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