Ingredient Name:  Agrocybe Aegerita, Chinese mushrooms, Chestnut mushroom, Velvet pioppino, Black Poplar Mushroom (dried)

Traditional Chinese Name: 茶樹菇 (cha shu gu)

What is this?

• This is a very popular, edible mushroom which can be found all over the world 
• The agrocybe genus of mushroom is believed to be the first of its kind to be cultivated by man and today, is typically cultivated and sold in the East (Asia and Australia)
• It has a rich, woodsy flavour which comes through when put into soups

How do I prepare it?

• Wash thoroughly before use

Where can I buy this?

You can purchase this fresh from most Asian supermarkets
It is also available in Hong Kong wet marts

What is the cost?

• The agrocybe aegerita is abundantly available and hence, is very affordable.  It costs less than $2 CAD for 100g

Any benefits?

• In traditional chinese medicine, this ingredient is used to stengthen the stomach, nourish the spleen, and reinforce the kidneys
• In western medicine, medical trials have shown this mushroom to also have anti-inflammatory, anti-cancer and anti-tumour properties
• It also contains antifungal and antibiotic compounds

Resources

• http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Agrocybe
• http://www.sciencedirect.com