草菇 (cǎogū) · straw mushroom (Volvariella volvacea)

Meanings

1 straw mushroom (Volvariella volvacea)
2 paddy straw mushroom

About the ingredient

菌类 Mushrooms

Small mushrooms picked while still closed and egg-shaped, with a slightly crunchy bite. They go into stir-fries and soups; away from where they are grown, most are sold canned.

Used in 2 dishes

福建炒饭 Fújiàn chǎofàn

鼎湖上素 Dǐnghú shàngsù

Characters

Examples

HSK 6

草菇要趁新鲜吃，放久了会变黑。

Cǎogū yào chèn xīnxiān chī, fàng jiǔ le huì biàn hēi.

Straw mushrooms should be eaten fresh - they turn black if kept too long.

HSK 7-9

蚝油草菇是一道经典粤菜。

Háoyóu cǎogū shì yídào jīngdiǎn yuècài.

Straw mushrooms in oyster sauce is a classic Cantonese dish.

Tips

culture

草菇 originated in Guangdong and grows on rice straw - hence the name. They're harvested young as small egg-shaped buttons, prized in southern Chinese cooking but rarely seen in northern dishes.