Besides their general deliciousness, lion’s mane mushrooms are known for three things, depending on the eater.

If you’re particularly wellness-focused – you know what “adaptogenic” means, you go to a naturopath and/or you’re a little Goop-y – you probably know them for a range of supposed health benefits, not necessarily backed by evidence.

If you’re more into wordplay than antioxidants, you probably know them for the furry-looking exterior that earned them their name (along with bearded hedgehog, bearded tooth fungus, monkey beard, pom pom – three cheers for mushrooms! – and more).

And if you’d rather eat them than any manner of animal products, you might know them for what their appearance and texture resemble when they’re shredded: lump crab.

The latter is what I was drawn to when I started thinking about how much I used to love Thai crab fried rice – and how well-suited the lion’s manes would be to making a seafood-free version of it. I had already used them to make tasty ringers for crab cakes, binding them, pan-frying and dipping them into a remoulade. This was even simpler, because the recipe I started with came from the wonderful blog The Woks of Life, and it goes as quickly as stir-fries tend to.

The original recipe doesn’t require any real cooking of the titular ingredient, because lump crab comes already steamed, so I started off by searing the lion’s mane shreds, then reserved them on a plate before adding them back in as the dish finishes.

Fresh lion’s manes are getting easier to find, thanks to such companies as Smallhold, which has brought specialty mushrooms to Whole Foods and other markets from their three-partner farms on the two coasts and Texas. And they’re often at farmers markets.

But even if you can’t find them, don’t skip this dish: It is just as delicious with virtually any kind of mushroom, if not quite as fun to make, eat – or name.

Lion’s Mane Fried Rice

This take on Thai-style crab fried rice uses lion’s mane mushrooms instead because their appearance and texture mimic that of lump crab, but it’s just as delicious with other fungi. As with all stir-fries, it’s best to make sure all the ingredients are measured, prepped and ready before you start cooking, since it goes so fast once you do.

Servings: 4

Total time: 25 minutes

Storage: Refrigerate for up to 4 days.

Where to buy: Thai bird’s eye chiles and Shaoxing wine can be found in Asian supermarkets. Vegan fish sauce or Worcestershire sauce can be found at natural foods stores or online.

INGREDIENTS

2 tablespoons neutral vegetable oil, plus more if needed

4 ounces lion’s mane mushrooms, trimmed and torn into 1/2-inch shreds

2 tablespoons finely grated or chopped ginger

4 cloves garlic, finely grated or pressed

1 to 2 Thai bird’s eye chiles, stemmed and thinly sliced

3 cups cooked white or brown basmati or jasmine rice, preferably cold

1/2 teaspoon ground white pepper

2 tablespoons No-Fish Sauce (see related recipe; optional) or store-bought vegan fish sauce or Worcestershire sauce

1 tablespoon low-sodium soy sauce

1 tablespoon Shaoxing wine (optional)

Fine salt

2 large eggs, beaten

2 scallions, trimmed and chopped

1/4 cup lightly packed fresh cilantro leaves, chopped

Lime wedges, for serving

DIRECTIONS

In a large skillet or wok over medium-high heat, heat the oil until it shimmers. Add the mushrooms and stir-fry until they turn lightly golden, 1 to 2 minutes. Use a slotted spoon to transfer them to a plate.

Add the ginger, garlic and chiles to the skillet, along with a little more oil if the skillet is dry, and stir-fry until fragrant, 20 to 30 seconds. Add the cooked rice, increase the heat to high, and stir-fry until it’s well coated and hot, 2 to 3 minutes.

Add the pepper, No-Fish Sauce (if using), soy sauce and Shaoxing wine. Taste, and season with salt as needed.

Use a spatula to spread the rice into an even layer in the skillet. Pour the beaten egg evenly over the rice, and stir-fry until the egg is cooked and incorporated, 1 to 2 minutes.

Spread the rice into an even layer again, add the mushroom shreds, and stir-fry briefly to warm them through, about 1 minute. Add the scallions and cilantro and stir-fry just until wilted.

Serve hot, with lime wedges for squeezing over.

Substitutions:

Vegan? >> Use Just Egg or another liquid egg substitute.

Not vegan or vegetarian? >> Use regular fish sauce.

Lion’s mane mushrooms >> Oyster, shiitake or cremini mushrooms.

Thai bird’s eye chiles >> Serrano or jalapeño peppers.

Shaoxing wine >> Sherry.

Nutritional information per serving (1 1/4 cups): 281 calories, 10 g fat, 1 g saturated fat, 39 g carbohydrates, 444 mg sodium, 93 mg cholesterol, 8 g protein, 1 g fiber, 3 g sugar.

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