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- Bamboo fungus (Phallus indusiatus) is prized in Chinese cooking because of its nice texture and mild taste.
- Studies hint that Phallus indusiatus might help your immune system and reduce swelling.
- The mushroom smells bad to spread its spores with insects.
- Better growing methods in 1979 meant it could be made in large amounts, dropping the price and making it easier to get.
- Dangerous to pick: it looks like young, harmful Amanita mushrooms that can kill you.
The Basket Stinkhorn: Can You Really Eat This Mushroom?
Have you ever seen a mushroom that looked like a weird mix of a lace-covered phallus with a nasty smell? If so, you might have found Phallus indusiatus. It's called many things: basket stinkhorn, bamboo fungus, or veiled lady. This mushroom from the tropics is both liked and disliked. People in the West often turn up their noses at it, but in East Asian cooking, it’s a treat that costs a lot and is served at fancy meals. But is this strange fungus actually okay to eat—and maybe even good?
What Phallus indusiatus Looks Like
The basket stinkhorn (or bamboo fungus) is one of the most eye-catching mushrooms. You can spot it right away. It starts as an "egg" under the ground, full of what it will become. When it's ready, the egg opens up to show a tall, tube-shaped, whitish stem that can grow up to 25 centimeters high. On top of the stem is a cone-shaped cap with olive-green slime on it. This goo smells bad, but it has a purpose: to help the mushroom reproduce.
But what really makes Phallus indusiatus special is the white skirt that looks like netting. It hangs down from the cap and can almost touch the ground. This lacey veil gives the fungus a delicate, but also kind of gross, look that makes people interested and disgusted at the same time. This mushroom is both pretty and ugly, which makes it one of nature's strangest pairs.
From a science view, this complex shape helps it reproduce and live in its environment. The skirt doesn't directly spread spores, but it makes the mushroom look good to bugs and people. This helps spread it around, either naturally or because people are interested in it.
Why Does It Smell? It's How the Mushroom Spreads
The smell of Phallus indusiatus is what people disagree about most. The slimy stuff on the cap, called gleba, has a strong, bad smell. People have called it "rotten," "like sewage," and like rotting meat. If you smell it in the wild, you'll know it right away.
But this bad smell is not just weird; it's a smart way for the mushroom to survive. The stink brings in flies, beetles, and other bugs that spread the spores. When bugs land on the cap to check out the smell, they get spores all over them. Then, when they fly off, they take the spores to new places. It's a smart trick that works great in hot places where wind alone might not be enough to spread spores.
Unlike mushrooms that use wind to reproduce, stinkhorns use bugs to spread. So, even though the smell is awful to us, it's like perfume to a fly. It means the mushroom has a really good way to reproduce. Basically, what we think smells rotten is a great smell to a bug.
Is It Edible? When and How
Whether you can eat basket stinkhorn is tricky. Yes, Phallus indusiatus is edible, but only in certain ways. When you pick it and how you cook it are very important.
When It's an Egg
When it's young and still in its egg shape, before the stem grows and it gets slimy, the fungus is firm, white, and jelly-like inside with a rubbery skin outside. At this point, it's not just edible, but often tasty. It has a mild, earthy flavor, like mild truffles or enoki mushrooms.
In parts of Europe, people have traditionally eaten stinkhorn eggs. They might slice them thin and fry them like schnitzel, or pickle them. If you cook it right when it’s in the egg stage, it has good stuff in it and protein, and it doesn't have the bad smell it gets later.
When It's Grown Up
But once the mushroom grows up, things change. The stem and skirt are edible, especially if you dry them or soak them to bring them back to life. But you should always avoid the gleba because it smells bad and is slimy. Most cooks don't use the cap at all.
Even so, the grown-up parts can be used in cooking if you take off the slime. The stem is firm with a mild umami flavor, and the delicate skirt gets soft and spongy when cooked, soaking up flavors from broth and sauces.
The main point is: eat it before it gets smelly, or be very careful how you prepare it later.
Different Views: West vs. East
People in the West, especially, have mostly stayed away from stinkhorns like Phallus indusiatus. Between its phallic shape, strong smell, and just not knowing what it is, it's not surprising that this mushroom isn't common in European or American cooking.
But in East Asia, especially China, Phallus indusiatus, called 竹荪 (zhúsūn), is highly valued for food and medicine. It's even seen as a special food served at weddings, festivals, and big parties. It stands for being pure, elegant, and rich. It's also often used in vegetarian Buddhist food because it has a "meaty" texture without being meat.
China likes bamboo fungus because it has been used in Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) for a long time and because it can be grown commercially. It's not just about the taste there. People appreciate its look, nutrition, and what it represents.
Bamboo Fungus in Chinese Cooking
Bamboo fungus is great in Chinese dishes. It's known for its mix of textures—crispy stem, soft skirt. Usually, it's soaked in water and then cooked to bring out these qualities. Unlike many Western mushrooms that are loved for their strong taste, bamboo fungus is more about texture and how it looks in food.
It’s a key part of
- Fancy soups like Bamboo Fungus with Shredded Chicken and Fish Maw
- Stir-fries with veggies like snow peas, baby corn, and shiitake mushrooms
- Stuffed dishes with ground meat or tofu that are steamed
- Hot pots, where its spongy texture soaks up tasty, spicy broths
People trying it for the first time are often surprised by its taste; you can hardly tell it comes from something smelly. The taste is light—slightly earthy with a bit of sweetness—and it takes on flavors well. That's important: bamboo fungus is rarely the main flavor, but it makes dishes better with its texture and how it blends with other ingredients.
What Does It Actually Taste Like?
People in the West might not get the mild, almost plain flavor at first. Some say it's like tofu or konjac—more about how it feels in your mouth than taste. The soaked skirt is soft but still holds its shape, and the stem is a bit springy and chewy, like calamari or tripe, but not as strong.
Some mushroom experts and foragers are sad that it doesn't have a strong "mushroom" taste. But fans say that its mildness lets it soak up flavors from broths and sauces, like rice in paella or noodles in pho.
When you think about taste, how you cook it matters. In light, clear soups, bamboo fungus tastes almost like gelatin. In stir-fries, it adds texture and a gentle umami flavor.
Where to Buy and How to Cook Bamboo Fungus
Bamboo fungus is now grown on farms in Asia, so you can get it regularly even though it's delicate. Outside of Asia, you're more likely to find it dried, which is easy to keep and ship.
Tips for Buying
- Look for dried fungus in sealed bags at Asian stores or online.
- Pick ones that are whole, ivory-colored, and have skirts that look good.
- Don't get pieces that are yellow, crumbly, or moldy.
How to Prepare It
- Soak: Put the dried fungus in cold water for 25–40 minutes until it's soft again.
- Rinse: Wash it gently in clean water to get rid of any smell. You can add a drop of vinegar if you want.
- Trim: Cut off any hard or stringy parts of the stem ends.
- Cook: Simmer it in broth, stir-fry it, or stuff and steam it.
Health Benefits: More Than Just Flavor
In Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), Phallus indusiatus is called “the botanical chicken” because it’s as nutritious as meat. It has lots of fiber, protein, and special sugars called polysaccharides. People say it helps digestion and makes your immune system stronger.
Science Research
Research on medicinal mushrooms shows
- Polysaccharides from P. indusiatus can reduce swelling.
- It might boost immune cell activity and stop tumors from growing in early lab tests.
- It has antioxidants that could help fight cell damage.
But, there aren't many studies on people yet. Still, because it's been seen as a healthy food in TCM for a long time, it seems like it could be good for you.
Farmed, Not Wild: Know What You're Eating
People started farming Phallus indusiatus in 1979 in China, instead of just picking it in the wild. This was a big step in growing mushrooms. Now, there's a reliable supply, and it's safer than picking wild mushrooms.
Today, bamboo fungus is sorted by grades based on
- Size and how long the skirt is
- Color is even and not damaged
- No smell after it's dried
Grades go from Grade A (for fancy dinners) to Grade D (for everyday soups). Prices depend on the grade, but even the lower grades are nutritious and have good texture.
Warnings About Picking Wild Mushrooms
Picking wild mushrooms can be risky, especially if you don't know what you're doing. Many poisonous mushrooms, like young Amanita types, look like stinkhorn eggs. If you mistake a deadly mushroom for a stinkhorn, it could kill you.
Other risks are
- Different places have different kinds of stinkhorns, and not all are safe.
- It's easy to mix up mushrooms when they are young.
- Wild mushrooms can go bad if you don't store or handle them right.
If you really want to pick wild mushrooms, it's important to talk to local mushroom experts or go on guided mushroom walks with lessons on how to identify them.
Prices Going Down, Popularity Going Up
At one time, Phallus indusiatus was one of the most expensive edible mushrooms in China. In the early 1980s, it cost $770 per kilogram, so only rich people and important officials ate it.
But because of better ways to farm mushrooms, bamboo fungus is now sold in stores and easy to get. Now, it costs about $10–20 per kilo for средние grades. It's still seen as fancy and tasty as it was before.
With more people interested in plant-based foods, natural medicine, and trying new foods, bamboo fungus is becoming more popular again, both in Asia and other countries.
Should You Try It?
If you like interesting textures, mild flavors that soak up other tastes, and old food traditions, you should try bamboo fungus. It's a food for vegans that has been around for centuries. It's different from what Westerners usually think mushrooms should look or taste like.
Just make sure to
- Buy it from stores you trust.
- Cook it right (don’t just use it straight from the package).
- Let its soft texture, light flavor, and story make your dish special.
Learn About Strange Mushrooms with Zombie Mushrooms
At Zombie Mushrooms, we love showing off the strange and cool world of fungi. Right now, we don’t sell grow kits for Phallus indusiatus, but you can still learn about rare mushrooms at home. We have grow-at-home kits that are safe and educational for growing and trying out mushrooms—from lion’s mane to shiitake and more.
Don't Judge a Mushroom by Its Smell
Even though it looks weird and smells bad at first, the basket stinkhorn—or bamboo fungus—is a great and tasty food to add to meals around the world. How it went from being a strange thing in the forest to a fancy food shows how important culture and being open to new foods are. So next time you see the strange lace skirt of Phallus indusiatus or a bag of dried bamboo pith, just think—it's what's inside (and how you cook it) that matters.
Citations
- Arora, D. (1986). Mushrooms Demystified: A Comprehensive Guide to the Fleshy Fungi. Ten Speed Press.
- Chang, S. T., & Miles, P. G. (2004). Mushrooms: Cultivation, Nutritional Value, Medicinal Effect, and Environmental Impact. CRC Press.
- Davidson, A. (2014). The Oxford Companion to Food. Oxford University Press.
- Dunlop, F. (2003). Sichuan Cookery. Penguin Books.
- ChinaCulture.org. (n.d.). Retrieved from http://www.chinaculture.org
