Forest Mushrooms

This time after 7 years I have got to eat these awesome forest mushrooms. I was so happy that I just wanted the world know how good they are.

These are authentic forest mushrooms. They grow in the monsoon season on the termite house in which the snake stays (that's what the folklore says). Only the people staying in those forest's have the knowledge of how to shun away the snake and pick those edible mushrooms. Only they know which mushrooms are edible and which are poisonous.

These forest mushrooms grow in the forest areas on the Goa-Karnataka border (and off course in many other forest's). But the one's that we eat arrive in Goa from the Goa-Karnataka border.

This time luckily my hubby visited Goa on a short trip in the same season and to my surprise got back two big packets of these mushrooms. These mushrooms get spoiled very easily. So as soon as they are plucked from the termite house, they are tightly wrapped into very large leaves which are found only in the forests. People say that mushrooms which are still buds are fresh. Once they open up they are not considered fresh.

Mushrooms tigthly packed in big leaves once they are plucked

Many people believe that, when the snake that stays inside the termite house breathes out on the mushrooms, they open up... LOL I don't believe in this anyways :)

Fresh mushroom buds

Cleaning these mushrooms is a very hectic task. First you have to soak them in water for at least an hour. Then using a muslin cloth or a very soft cotton cloth you need to individually clean off all the mud from those mushrooms and again wash them in water for some more time.
Finally you need to drain the water by tightly holding the mushrooms in the fists.

Soak them in water for cleaning

Cutting these mushrooms is very easy. You don't have to use a knife at all. They can be easily torn into desired pieces using hands. If a knife is used to cut them, the mushroom get cut into very small powder like pieces and then it's difficult to get the real taste when cooked.

Cleaned mushrooms

These mushrooms can be used in cooking just like the normal button mushrooms which we get in the grocery stores. A delicious mushroom rawa fry can be made or else Kadai Mushroom.

Delicious Rawa Fried Mushrooms