Are these the best deep fried mushrooms you will ever eat? Crunchy golden brown beer batter, a sprinkling of matcha salt, and yuzu wasabi mayonnaise to dip into. I'm going to say yes they are.
I use an unusual step in this recipe to enhance the flavour of these fried mushrooms. I marinate them for a few hours before they are deep fried. The results will blow your mind with their heightened umami flavour!
The dish is given a Japanese twist by using Asahi in the batter and serving the mushrooms with a sprinkling of matcha salt. Plus dip mushrooms into a delicious yuzu wasabi mayonnaise.
This fried mushrooms recipe is a flavour bomb of a dish.
Sara xxx
What's in this post
Ingredients
- Mushrooms: Use medium size flat field mushrooms or portobello mushrooms.
- Buttermilk: The secret marinade that enhances the mushrooms' umami flavour.
- Flour: Plain flour for tossing the mushrooms in before dunking in beer batter.
- Egg: As always use free range, happy chooks equal happy eggs.
- Asahi: Is a type of Japanese beer. A pale larger is a good substitute. Or use mineral water if you can't have alcohol.
- Oil: Use your favourite oil for frying. One that has a high smoke point like peanut oil or rice bran oil.
- Salt: Sea salt flakes or Kosher salt.
- Matcha Powder: Also known as green tea powder. Can be found in all good Asian grocery stores, or purchased on line.
- Mayonnaise: Use a good quality Japanese mayonnaise like Kewpie, or a whole egg mayonnaise.
- Wasabi Paste: Easily found at most supermarkets these days. Alternatively, you can use wasabi powder.
- Yuzu Juice: Yuzu is a Japanese citrus that resembles a small grapefruit in appearance and the tart taste is a cross between grapefruit and mandarin orange. If you can’t find yuzu juice, substitute a smaller amount of lemon juice.
The Secret of Marinating
Marinating mushrooms before frying may sound a little unusual. It is amazing the difference a few hours in a buttermilk bath can make. The buttermilk enhances everything we love about mushrooms. The umami kick and the mushroom's natural flavour.
The first time I tried this technique I was very skeptical. But the magic it works is amazing. I am now a convert and my beer battered deep fried mushrooms now always get a buttermilk soak.
Tips for Fried Mushrooms
- Fried mushrooms are best served immediately. As mushrooms have a high water content they will start to go soggy after some time.
- If they have been made ahead of time and you want to re-heat and get them all crunchy again. Place the beer battered mushrooms in the air fryer. They will be back to crispy in no time.
- Don't over crowd the deep fryer with mushrooms. As they aren't whole mushrooms they don't take long to cook, fry them in batches.
- To stop the mushrooms going soggy while cooking them in batches place them on a wire cake rack. Don't cover the wire rack in paper towel, and don't crowd them.
What to Serve with Beer Battered Mushrooms
These super tasty deep fried mushrooms are happily served along side all kinds of finger food. If you want to follow the Japanese theme, below are some of my favourites.
Printable Recipe
Beer Battered Fried Mushrooms
Ingredients
- 4 large Swiss brown/portobello mushrooms
- 600 ml buttermilk
- 190 grams plain flour
- 1 egg
- 250 ml Japanese beer
- oil for frying 4-6 cups
Matcha Salt
- 3 tablepsoons sea salt flakes
- 1 teaspoon green tea powder matcha powder*
Yuzu Wasabi Mayonnaise
- 125 ml Japanese mayonnaise
- 1 teaspoon wasabi paste
- 3 teaspoons yuzu juice
Instructions
- Prepare your mushrooms by removing the stems and then scraping out the brown gills. Cut mushrooms into 1.5cm thick slices. Lay them in a large dish with sides. Then cover them with the buttermilk. Marinate in the fridge for a couple of hours (minimum one hour).
- While the mushrooms are marinating prepare green tea salt and yuzu mayonnaise.
- Once the mushrooms have marinated in the buttermilk for a few hours, remove from the fridge and prepare your batter.
- In a large bowl mix flour, egg and beer.
- Heat oil in a deep fryer or large pot to 180 degrees C (350 deg F).
- Coat mushroom slices in batter, they don’t have to be perfectly coated. Place a few in the fryer at a time (don’t over crowd them) and fry until they are golden brown. Remove and drain on kitchen towel.
- Repeat until all mushroom slices are fried. Serve immediately with mayonnaise and salt.
Matcha Salt
- For the matcha salt, mix salt and matcha powder in a small bowl. Crush the sea salt flakes slightly either by using a spoon or pestle, but don’t over do it, you still want to keep some the flakes for texture.
Yuzu Wasabi Mayonnaise
- To prepare the mayonnaise mix the Japanese mayonnaise, wasabi paste and yuzu juice in a small bowl until completely combined.
Oven Temperatures
All oven temperatures are fan forced.
Measurement Notes
All measurements are Australian metric standard. All measures are level, and cups are lightly packed unless specified. 1 teaspoon = 5ml / 1 tablespoon = 20mls / 1 cup = 250ml /4 teaspoons = 1 tablespoon.
Recipe Notes
- Fried mushrooms are best served immediately. As mushrooms have a high water content they will start to go soggy after some time.
- If they have been made ahead of time and you want to re-heat and get them all crunchy again. Place the beer battered mushrooms in the air fryer. They will be back to crispy in no time.
- Don't over crowd the deep fryer with mushrooms. As they aren't whole mushrooms they don't take long to cook, fry them in batches.
- To stop the mushrooms going soggy while cooking them in batches place them on a wire cake rack. Don't cover the wire rack in paper towel, and don't crowd them.
- 1 teaspoon equals 5ml
- 1 tablespoon equals 20 ml (Nth America, NZ & UK use 15ml tablespoons)
- 1 cup equals 250ml (Nth America use 237ml)
- 4 teaspoons equal 1 tablespoon
- I use the below unless specified in my recipes;
NUTRITIONAL INFORMATION
The recipe's nutritional information is an approximation based on an online calculator. It is meant solely for reference purposes. If you're looking for precise details, be sure to double-check with your own research.
More Finger Food Recipes
Besides the below, you can find more delicious snacks under my finger food and game day recipes category.
Roz Zachary
Great Green Tea Salt. And it looks soo pretty too. <3 Im staying in Tasmania, sadly ive never see. Matcha powder fr sale yet. Sad as. Would love to try them GT.Salt hehe
Martyna @ Wholesome Cook
Oh my goodness, Sarah, that whole combo... YUM!
Maureen | Orgasmic Chef
What a unique idea. I love everything about this!
john | heneedsfood
Somebody pass me a beer, and a bowl of these little babies! Love you work, Sara
Sara
Thanks John, handing you an Asahi right now 😉
Kristi @ Inspiration Kitchen
Wow! This looks absolutely amazing! We love mushrooms! I had no idea that buttermilk intensifies the flavor. Pinned!
Sara
Hi Kristi, I had no idea about the effect of buttermilk on mushrooms either until I actually tried it. So glad I did.
vegeTARAian
Sara, I LOVE this. You'll always get me when there's inspiration from Japan!
Sara
Thanks Tara, I do love playing around with Japanese ingredients.
Thalia @ butter and brioche
Crazy about the idea of a green tea salt.. definitely something I need to make. Thanks for the idea!
Sara
Glad to hear you like the idea of the green tea salt. I am now working out what else to use it with 😉
Mushroom Enthusiast
Love the comment that those healthy mushrooms can cancel out the deep frying aspect. Perhaps there is a scientific study in there somewhere? ha ha. Go the mushrooms....
Sara
I think a scientific study should be done, just think if it did cancel out the unhealthy deep frying aspect.