Uong the Wild Mushroom

The sky still pouring with rain with thunders and lightning; still the sun never shone. I missed Mr. Sun! It’s been pouring with rain for the whole month due to a super typhoon and low pressure that are hitting now in the Philippines. According to Pag-asa, the rainy season started last July and expect 20 more typhoons until the end of December. Well, I love when it’s raining because it brings a cool weather at noon  and hopefully it won’t stay longer the super typhoon to our province.  

During the rainy season, or after the stormy weather there is an earthy food which is very seasonal here in the Philippines  this edible wild mushroom, we Ilokanos call it as “Uong" or other says "uong ti bunton", "uong ti kimat", or "uong a managadu", "uong ti kalaw". In some parts of the Philippines, they also call this one as kabute in tagalog, and mamarang in other region. Uong or the wild mushroom is scientifically called as “Termitomyces cartilaginous”.

This wild mushroom or uong is often grown to a moistened soil  particularly can be spotted at the farm, the forest, and mostly seen under the base of the trees, near anthills (bunton or bahay ng mga dwende) termite hills, and other natural organic matters such as decaying leaves, wood, and animal manure. They become abundant and plenty when the onset of rains begins especially the month of July until September.

My father went to the farm early this morning to visits his plants after the heavy rain last night and he spotted this abundant group of mushroom under the tree covering with the decaying leaves.

Back when I was a child,  an old folk says about the origins of the “uong”  and it says that while it's raining the seeds of the mushrooms were brought by the thunder and the lightning helps to induce the growth and sprout abundantly in the night. And this must have to be harvested early in the morning since it will decay and wilt after the day.

When I asked my mother if she believes those folklore stories and she answered me in Ilokano "Mamati ka pelang, kadagita a kupong kupong" I'll translate it English means "Do you still believe those, it was in the old days." (Nadale ako dun ah! ahahaha)

Make sure to clean with water to remove all the traces of dirt carefully when washing one by one of the mushroom. Try not to squeeze too much since it can be easily sag and loss the tastiness and sweetness. Cut 1 to 2 inches from the root to stem where the dirt was accumulated.

This wild mushroom or uong is one of the most tastiest mushrooms in the Philippines. As Ilokano this is one of the delicious and exotic food I have tasted and it is perfectly cooked to any Ilokano dishes like inabraw, dinengdeng, adobong uong or mushroom soup.

Here is my simple Adobong Uong which is purely sauteed with garlic, vinegar and soy sauce.

What if we guys are still living in the past?  Maybe we are still amazed how those things happen. Indeed, we should be very thankful for all the things we have. When God provides us everything we need.

Above all, the wild mushroom or Uong in Ilokano grows in a moist and damp place, this is an ideal place. Not all wild mushroom is edible there is also mushroom contains poisons. Becareful when you are in doubt, don't get it.

Love lots, 

AIMEE