Howdy folks! 😊
Anyone that knows me, knows just how much my heart beats for mushrooms! Pretty much all mushrooms in any shape or form, are welcome here 😋
Today though, I’m shining the light on one of our local favorites, known as Tente in Bemba, or Ndelema in Kaonde, * insert other local name here * . Scientifically though, these mushrooms are known as Amanita Zambiana.
This seasonal delicacy usually sprouts up during the rainy season, between November and March and disappears soon after that when the rains dissipate. So you really want to make the most of that short window. 😉
I managed to get my hands on these lovelies recently, 😁 and here’s my unorthodox recipe 😉 :
Wild Mushroom : Tente
Course: MainDifficulty: Medium6
servings30
minutes30
minutesZambian
Ingredients
500g Tente Mushroom
1 Large Green Pepper
1 Large Red Onion
2 Tablespoons Olive Oil
1 Large Tomato, grated
1/4 Teaspoon Black Pepper
1/2 Teaspoon Salt
1 Tablespoon Soy Sauce (Optional)
1 Tablespoon Cream of Mushroom soup (Optional)
Directions
- Growing close to the ground, these mushrooms tend to carry quite a bit of sand, so start by thoroughly washing them. Be thorough but gentle, seeing that the mushrooms are quite delicate and easily fall apart. Some people also ‘peel’ off the brown skin/ top layer of the mushroom in their preparation, but I don’t. I don’t find it harmful, and believe it adds to the taste and color 😊
- Break up the mushrooms into your desired shape and size for easy cooking. I usually go with these long strips 😊. Transfer to a saucepan once done, and add about a liter of water, and salt before bringing the pot to the stove.
- Cook the mushroom for a few minutes, and make sure everything comes to a vigorous boil. I do this to start the cooking process but also to shake off any sandy residue I may have missed while washing 😊. The sand will be shaken off the mushroom and will sink to the bottom of the pot 😉
- While that cooks, cut up the vegetables that will be going into the sauce.
- Heat up your oil in a deep pan and saute the onion and green pepper for about 5 to 7 minutes, until soft 🙂
- Also grate your Tomatoes – that way they cook quicker and their flavor will infuse evenly throughout the sauce. 😊
- Add the Tomato to the pan and cook for another 5 minutes until the sauce comes together. 😊
- Stir with a wooden spoon, and add in your seasonings i.e salt and pepper.
- Using a slotted spoon, scoop the mushroom out of the water in the cooking pot and transfer to the pan with the sauce. Don’t disturb the bottom, so that any sand there remains behind 😊
- Once the mushrooms are in the pan, combine well and coat them with the sauce. 😊
- This next part is optional, if you want your mushroom dish extra rich, you can add a tablespoon of each of these. Soy Sauce and Cream of Mushroom soup. The difference these 2 ingredients make 🤩. If you’re cooking for a ‘Purist/traditional’ audience that prefers the ‘natural taste’ – Do leave these out. But as you’d guess…I added them to my dish 😉
- Cover with a tight fitting lid and allow the dish to simmer on medium-low heat for about 10 minutes. 😊
- Remove the cover, and this is what you’re looking for, once done. 😁🤩
- Proceed to serve with Nshima or your desired starch/meal, and Enjoy! 😋 So Yummy! 🤩💃🏽
