Medicinal Mushroom Broth Recipe

We've had a bit of the lurgy come through our house over the last week, so I busted out this medicinal mushroom broth recipe made with turkey tail mushrooms and our local cousin of the Queen of mushrooms Reishi, Artists Bracket Fungus or Conk, Ganoderma applanatum, with a few Shiitaki thrown in for good measure. I keep all the off cuts of stock worthy veggies in a resealable bag in the freezer so I always have them on hand to whip up a broth or stock when ever I need to.

Turkey Tail

Trametes Versicolour

With its fan shape, multicolured concentric rings of colour and porous underside it is one of the easiest to identify and most abundant to forage. From nude to blue sometimes on the very same mushroom, these turkey tail shaped fungus is definitely one you want to get aquainted with.

How absolutely gorgeous are these glorious very distinctive medicinal mushrooms that my girls found over at our neighbour's place!

Turkey tail acts as a prebiotic, nourishing beneficial gut bacteria and supporting a healthy microbiome. It is prized for its immune support and to regulate cytokine production, the polysaccharides specifically polysaccharide-K (PSK) and polysaccharopeptide (PSP) which inhibit cancer cell growth. Also, the beta-glucans present stimulate immune cells, like natural killer cells and T-lymphocytes, which can help the body respond more effectively to infections and pathogens. Turkey Tail is commonly used alongside chemotherapy and radiation as its immunomodulatory effects can help reduce the side effects of these treatments while boosting immune resilience. It is an adaptogen and has antiviral properties which make it a versatile tool for those dealing with immune-related issues, chronic diseases, and those looking for natural ways to support their overall health.

Artist Bracket Fungus

Ganoderma applanatum, Artists Conk

This impressive woody fungus that grows from dead or dying parts of tree’s is not generally peoples first choice for food, but has been used medicinally for thousands of years. Similar to the famous Reishi mushroom which doesn’t grow here in New Zealand in the wild, it shares some of the medicinal properties of its famous cousin.

It’s an adaptogen so helps your body respond to stress, anxiety, fatigue and overall wellbeing. It works to reduce phlegm in respiratory issues and lungs. The Beta-glucan which is a polysaccharide that belongs to the group of prebiotics which stimulate the growth and activity of natural intestinal microbiota, while inhibiting the growth of pathogens. It plays an important role in the proper functioning of the gastrointestinal tract and preventing inflammation as well as colon cancer. Triterpenes are compounds found in nature which work with our bodies to create compounds which are anti-cancer, anti-inflammatory, anti-oxidative, anti-viral, anti-bacterial and anti-fungal.

Because of its woody nature the best way to use this wonderful fungus medicinally is to make a decoction. Chop into small pieces, soon after harvest, as it becomes hard as a rock, then sun dry, which activates vitamin D2 which we convert into vitamin D3 which helps your body absorb calcium and phosphorus. Having the right amount of vitamin D, calcium, and phosphorus is important for building strong bones.

Medicinal Mushroom Broth Recipe

~New Recipe~

Making your own plant-based broth is super easy and well worth it, and can also be used as a stock for soups, stews and sauces. You basically want to save all your off cuts of onion, carrot, celery, mushroom, tomato, leek and beetroot scraps, parsley stems in a container or sealed bag in the freezer. I like to add seaweed to mine as it is a great source of omega 3, iron, calcium, iodine and vitamins it also has a thickening quality that mimics gelatine. I’ve also added the options of adding garlic, ginger and turmeric which add anti-inflammatory and antioxidant support amongst a plethora of other advantages as well as medicinal mushrooms for their depth of flavour and health benefits. You can also add medicinal mushroom extract powders to the brew such as lion mane, chaga, cordyceps and maitake. These can be added once you have removed the solids or before consuming, stirred into the broth, each has their own benefits to support your health and wellness.

Vegan | Gluten-free

Makes 2.5 L
 


2 whole onions, skin on roughly chopped


1 whole leek, roughly chopped


1 whole bulb garlic, halved width ways


2 sticks of celery (plus the end and scrappy tops), roughly chopped


2 whole carrots, roughly chopped


1 beetroot, roughly chopped (optional)

8cm piece fresh ginger, sliced 


8cm piece fresh turmeric, sliced or 2 T turmeric powder


50g dried or fresh mushrooms medicinal mushrooms, turkey tail, artists bracket pieces, shiitaki

8g dried seaweed, kelp, kombu or wakame

1/2 tsp black peppercorns, crushed


1 large stick fresh rosemary or 6 thyme sprigs


4 bay leaves

4 L water

1-2 tsp salt

Gather your ingredients and add the roughly chopped vegetables, ginger, turmeric, mushrooms, seaweed, herbs and water into a Stock Pot. Bring to the boil uncovered, then turn down to a gentle simmer and cook for 1 to 1 1/2 hours. Remove from the heat, strain out the solids (reserve the mushrooms, slice and add back to the liquid), bring back to the boil and heat jars to 150°C for a couple of minutes then bottle up into the warm sterilised jars and cap. The caps will 'pop' as they seal. Store in the pantry like this, once opened store in the fridge.

This broth can be consumed as is, as a base for a quick miso soup or with noodles or rice that have been cooked before adding. You could also add some fried tofu pieces or a poached egg with some Dan Dan Infused Chilli Oil.