Air-fryer Cumin Mini King Oyster Mushrooms

Name: Air Fryer Cumin Mini King Oyster Mushrooms
Prep time: 3 min
Cook time: 15 min
Ingredients: 1 package mini king oyster mushrooms (250 g ); 1 tsp cumin; ¼ tsp chili powder (more to taste); ¼ tsp salt; 2 tsp oil

Sep 11, 2024

Updated: September 13, 2024

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by

Hellen

in Air Fryer, Recipes, Salads, Side Dishes

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A simple and spicy air fryer mushroom recipe using mini king oyster mushrooms, inspired by the flavors of Chinese shaokao.

My favourite air fryer mushroom recipe is inspired by Chinese kebabs I had growing up in Beijing. Kebabs or shao kao 烧烤 is a common street food in northern China. You might see people eating skewers on plastic tables and drinking beer outside. The smell of smoke and cumin is unmistakable.

Shaokao means barbecue and usually refers to skewers grilled over charcoal. The most common type of shaokao is lamb kebab, (羊肉串) . Did you know, the character for skewer 串 literally looks like a skewer!

These mushrooms are so simple that I used to make something similar as a young girl. I’d come home from school, brush an oyster mushroom with oil and cumin and bake it in the mini toaster oven.

Here, I’m using the mushrooms as part of a simple salad, but you can of course also eat the mushrooms by themselves or as a side dish.

It may seem like a lot of cumin, and it is. The king oyster mushrooms should be thoroughly coated in cumin. After baking, this spice mixture will become toasty and delicious. The mushrooms should be quite spicy. The outside will be crusty and the inside juicy with a slight bite.

If you don’t have an air fryer, you can bake the mushrooms in the oven using the same temperature and time.

What are mini king oyster mushrooms and where to find them?

You can find mini king oyster mushrooms at most Asian grocery stores (usually in the refrigerated section). The big ones usually come in plastic pouches while the mini ones are packaged in rectangular plastic containers.

It’s important to use king oyster mushrooms (also called king trumpet mushrooms) rather than oyster mushrooms. King oyster mushrooms are oblong and separate while oyster mushrooms are flower/fan-shaped and clustered.

King oyster mushrooms have a neutral taste and retain their shape quite well, making them really good for grilling. King oyster mushrooms also don’t tend to leak moisture as much as certain other varieties of mushrooms.

Mini king oyster mushrooms are preferable to big king oyster mushrooms. I find mini king oyster mushrooms to be the best size and shape for baking. For this recipe, mini king oyster mushrooms can be halved or even left whole. (They can also be sliced for a faster cooking time.) If using big king oyster mushrooms, you may need to slice the mushrooms into smaller pieces or adjust the cooking time.

Ingredients

1 package (250 g) mini king oyster mushrooms

1 tsp cumin

¼ tsp chili powder (more to taste)

¼ tsp salt

2 tsp oil

Method

Slice king oyster mushrooms lengthwise. In a mixing bowl, drizzle the oil onto the mushrooms, add the seasoning spices then toss until evenly coated.

Cook in air fryer at 390 degrees F for 10-15 minutes. The cooking time will depend on the size of your mushrooms. When they are done, the edges should be slightly caramelized, the insides cooked, and your house will smell like cumin!

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