A Chinese mushroom pancakes recipe made from enoki mushrooms, ground sesame, herbs and scallions dipped in ponzu sauce. Makes about 8 small or 4 larger-sized cakes.
Grind half of the sesame seeds to a powder in a spice grinder.
Line up the enoki and cut into 1 inch pieces, then add to a mixing bowl with the egg mix, and remaining ingredients. Allow the mixture to rest for 30 minutes to help it set.
Testing and adjusting the flavor
Heat a nonstick pan with a film of oil until hot over medium heat. Drop a teaspoon of the mixture into the pan and cook, then taste and adjust the seasoning for herbs, or a pinch of salt. Be careful not to over season them with salt if you’ll be serving them with the optional sauce, since it also contains salt.
Cook the cakes
Drop ¼ cups of the mixture into the hot pan, for individual cakes, or ⅓-½ cups for larger sized pancakes you can cut into wedges, pressing them down into a rustic form.
Cook the mushroom cakes medium-high to high heat until browned without disturbing them, then flip and cook the other side. If you find the cakes are delicate and difficult for you to work with, consider preheating the oven to 350, then popping the pan in the oven after a minute or two of cooking on the stove, which will help them set.
When both sides of the cakes are browned, remove them and keep warm while you cook the rest, then cut into wedges you can pick up with chopsticks.
Arrange the cut cakes on warmed plates, top with curls of finely julienned scallions soaked in ice water, sprigs of fresh herbs, a sprinkle of sesame, and the ponzu on the side. They're an excellent starter before a meal of fish.
Notes
I use enoki for this, but winter chanterelles, or yellowfoot chanterelles, as well as black trumpet mushrooms will also work.