Coral hedgehog (coral): photo and description, recipes, medicinal properties

Coral-shaped urchin is a edible mushroom with a very unusual appearance. It is not difficult to recognize the coral-like urchin in the forest, but it is interesting to study its features and properties.

What does a coral hedgehog look like

The coral hedgehog is known by several names. Among them are coral and lattice-shaped blackberry, coral hericium, branched hericium. All these names characterize the unusual appearance of the fungus – it differs significantly from most related species.

Cap Description

The Coral Hedgehog has a very unusual appearance, most of all it resembles a sprawling coral that can reach 40 cm in width and 30 cm in length. The fungus does not have a distinct hat – the fruiting body consists of long dense processes, or branches 5 mm in diameter, covered with small spikes. The thorns also lengthen as the fungus develops, reaching up to 1 cm in length, and hanging from the twigs of the fungus. The branches of the bushy coral-like blackberry are hollow from the inside.

In color, the mushroom usually has a milky, light beige or pale yellow tint. Its flesh is white or slightly pinkish, fleshy and with well-defined fibers, and when dried it becomes brown-orange. The smell of the pulp is rich mushroom, quite pleasant.

Description of the leg

Due to its structure, the coral hedgehog has almost no legs. Coral outgrowths of the fungus grow from a short base, almost indistinguishable at first glance. In diameter, the base reaches 1 cm and is covered with small scales. The color of the stem of the fruiting body is the same as that of the whole fungus.

Twins and their differences

It is rather difficult to confuse the coral-like hericium with other mushrooms – according to the description of the coral-like hedgehog, it is clear that it looks very unusual. In appearance, it looks much more like a bizarre plant or coral than a mushroom. However, in the absence of experience, it can be mistaken for related hedgehogs, also distinguished by their non-standard appearance.

Lion’s mane

This related species, growing on tree trunks, in adulthood may slightly resemble the coral-like urchin, since a long, frequent fringe of light beige or whitish color hangs very abundantly from its cap. Due to this, the mushroom is also called “air fish”. Sometimes the fringe of the fungus can be slightly raised above the surface of the cap, in which case it becomes especially similar to the coral-like urchin.

However, it is easy to distinguish mushrooms – the coral species has a more bushy and uneven structure. The long fringe of the crested brambles is usually directed downwards, the needles themselves are even and straight, in contrast to the curved spines of the coral fungus.

Hericium erinaceus

Another similar species is the barnacle hedgehog, which grows on tree trunks, usually located in a tiled order with several hats next to each other. The tops of the barnacle urchin are white or slightly pinkish, turning yellow with age, covered with densely appressed spines on top. From the underside of the caps hang thick long spines with sharp tips, whitish in young mushrooms and yellowing in old ones.

It is possible to distinguish the hedgehog from the coral by its shape – the spines of the fungus are directed downwards from the hymenophore, while in the coral-like heritium they grow in all directions in a bushy order. Like the staghorn hericium, the hornbill is edible at a young age, as long as its flesh remains tender enough.

Where and how does the coral blackberry grow

You can meet coral-like hericium on the territory of Our Country in almost all regions – in Kamchatka and the Far East, the Caucasus, the Urals and Siberia, in the European part of the country.

Coral-like hericium grows on the trunks of deciduous trees, most often found on birches and alders. The fungus chooses both dead and living trees as its place of growth. Fruiting occurs throughout the warm season – from early July to the very end of September.

Is the fungus coral-shaped urchin edible or not

Coral-like hericium can be eaten – it does not have toxic properties. Mushroom pickers highly appreciate the taste of blackberry; finding it is considered a great success in those areas where mushroom picking is not officially prohibited.

How to cook Coral Hedgehog

The culinary use of coral fungus is very wide, it can be processed at high temperatures and dried, pickled and frozen. The composition of hericium coral is very useful, and the calorie content is low, only 30 kcal per 100 g of pulp.

Mushroom preparation

Due to the unusual structure, it is not customary to clean coral-like gericium before cooking. However, it is still necessary to wash the mushroom and remove forest debris from it. To do this, the fruiting body is placed in a colander and washed under the tap, and then poured with boiling water and left for 15 minutes.

After this time, the hedgehogs should be thrown into a colander, doused with boiling water again, and then cut off the spines and the lower part of the fruiting body – the remains of the mycelium. If the fruiting bodies are heavily contaminated, you can cover them with salt and pour warm water, and after an hour rinse in the standard way.

How to Roast Coral Hedgehogs

A popular recipe is frying coral-shaped urchins – this cooking method is very quick and simple, few ingredients are required:

1. Fresh urchins are cleaned of debris, thorns are removed and the lower base is cut off, and then boiled in salt water for about 20 minutes.
2. Mushrooms are thrown into a colander, and then cut into pieces of suitable sizes and sent to a frying pan greased with vegetable oil.
3. Mushrooms are fried until excess moisture evaporates from them. In the process of frying, onion cut into half rings is added to the blackberries, salt and pepper to taste.

After the onion becomes translucent, the dish can be removed from the heat. In total, the process of frying hedgehogs takes no more than 10 minutes, you can add vegetables, herbs and sour cream to the finished dish.

How to pickle

For long-term storage, coral-like urchins are usually pickled – this allows you to enjoy their taste and beneficial properties even in winter. The recipe looks like this:

1. A clove of garlic and an onion are finely chopped and laid in a sterile jar.
2. Add 1 large spoon of salt and 10 black peppercorns, 2 bay leaves and 1 large spoon of sunflower oil.
3. Pour the ingredients with 2 large spoons of table vinegar, and then pour in 100 ml of boiling water.
4. Lastly, 500 g of chopped hedgehogs are placed in a jar and another 150 ml of boiling water is added.

After that, the jar must be tightly closed, turn the lid down and leave to cool under a warm blanket. Ready pickled mushrooms are stored in the refrigerator.

How to freeze

For long-term storage, coral hericium can be frozen. It is very simple to do this – the fruiting bodies need to be cleaned of debris and rinsed under the tap, and then dried on a napkin or towel. Dried mushrooms are cut into slices, placed in a plastic container or bag and sealed, and then sent to the freezer.

The shelf life of freezing depends on the temperature. So, at -12 ° C, coral-like hericium will retain useful properties for about 3 months, and at – 18 ° C – up to six months.

How to dry

Drying hedgehogs is another good way to keep them for a long time. Fresh fruit bodies should be wiped with a paper towel and cut into thinner slices, and then put on a baking sheet and sent to the oven, heated to 45 ° C.

After the mushrooms have dried a little, the temperature will need to be raised to 70 ° C and the hedgehogs should be kept in the oven until the moisture has completely evaporated. The door must be left open so as not to exceed the recommended temperature. It is not necessary to wash the fruits before drying.

Pickling

A quick simple recipe suggests salting coral-like gericium – salted mushrooms can be added to salads, main courses and even soups. The cooking algorithm is very simple:

• about 1,5 kg of mushrooms are cleaned of debris and washed, and then soaked in salt water for about 4 hours;
• after this time, cut the head of onion into half rings, chop 2 cloves of garlic, 5 sprigs of dill or other herbs and 50 g of horseradish;
• mushrooms are cut into small pieces and put in a saucepan, after which they are boiled for 15 minutes;
• Ready-made hedgehogs are washed and laid in layers in a prepared jar, sprinkled with chopped spices, herbs and salt.

When the jar is full, cover it with thick gauze on top and set the load. After a week, salted hedgehogs will be completely ready for use.

Other recipes for cooking coral urchins

The above recipes are considered basic, but there are other ways to prepare gericium. All of them allow you to fully reveal the taste of the mushroom.

Soup from coral hedgehogs

To prepare the soup, you will need not only blackberries, but also chicken fillet, some potatoes, melted cheese and onions. The recipe looks like this:

• first, boil 200 g of chicken fillet in a saucepan and cut into cubes;
• put a frying pan on the fire and grease it with butter;
• 300 g of peeled blackberries and 1 onion are cut and sent to fry;
• mushrooms and onions are salted and peppered to taste, at the same time chicken broth is put on the fire again and 2-3 medium chopped potatoes are added to it.

After 20 minutes, fried mushrooms and onions are added to potatoes in chicken broth, boiled for another 5 minutes and served, not forgetting to add boiled chicken pieces to the soup. For a more piquant taste, finely chopped processed cheese is added to the hot soup already in the bowl.

Hedgehogs with vegetables

A very pleasant and spicy taste has a coral-shaped gericium with vegetables and spices. Mushrooms are prepared like this:

• chop 1 onion and fry it until golden brown in a pan, then add 300 g of chopped mushrooms;
• after 7 minutes, pour 1 chopped carrot into the pan and cover with a lid;
• while the mushrooms and vegetables are fried, prepare a special sauce – mix salt, pepper, coriander and sesame seeds 1 small spoon each, add 1 large spoon of honey and 500 ml of soy sauce;
• the sauce is stewed in a separate pan for 5 minutes.

After the mushrooms with onions and carrots are ready, they will need to be poured with sauce and served.

Stewed urchins

You can stew coral-like hericium with sour cream and onions. They do it like this:

• the onion is chopped, and 300 g of mushrooms are cut into thin slices;
• onions are fried in a pan until golden brown, after which blackberries are added;
• the ingredients are salted and peppered to taste and fried for another 15 minutes.

After that, it remains to add 3 large spoons of sour cream, cover the pan with a lid and simmer the dish over low heat for only 5 minutes.

Medicinal properties of coral-shaped hedgehogs

Coral-shaped hericium attracts with its pleasant taste and decorative appearance. But its value also lies in its medicinal properties, it is very useful to use the mushroom. The composition of hedgehogs contains vitamins and mineral salts, amino acids and protein compounds, as well as the substance hericenon B.

Due to its composition, coral-like hedgehogs:

• improve the condition of the nervous and muscular system;
• contribute to the improvement of blood vessels and the cardiac system;
• prevent the appearance of blood clots and have a very beneficial effect on varicose veins;
• reduce bad cholesterol in the blood;
• help in the treatment of Alzheimer’s disease and fight cancer.

Scientists also note the anti-inflammatory properties of hedgehogs – it is useful to use them for colds. Coral-like hericium is able to accelerate the healing process of wounds and abrasions.

Tincture on coral urchins on alcohol

A valuable medicinal product is a tincture of hedgehogs – in combination with alcohol, mushrooms fully reveal their beneficial properties. Prepare it like this:

• 30-40 g of dried coral urchins are crushed to a powder state and poured into a glass vessel;
• pour raw materials 500 ml of vodka;
• the vessel is closed and cleaned for 2 weeks in a cool, dark place.

You need to take a few drops of the tincture a day shortly before eating. The remedy helps with inflammatory processes and tumors, and tincture can also rub sore spots with joint ailments. The drug has pronounced antiseptic, bactericidal and regenerating properties.

How to grow coral urchins on the site

It is not necessary to go to the forest for coral-like hertium – in specialized stores you can buy spores of this fungus for growing coral-like hedgehog at home. It is necessary to sow spores from the end of April to October; in greenhouse conditions, planting is allowed throughout the year:

1. Since the blackberry grows on trees, for its cultivation you will need to take 2 fresh logs without shoots and internal defects, about 20 cm in diameter and 1 m in length.
2. In the logs, you will need to make small holes up to 4 cm in diameter, located 10 cm apart, and immerse the wood in water for a couple of days.
3. After that, the tree is dried a little in the fresh air, spores are placed in the prepared holes and the logs are wrapped with a film to create a greenhouse effect.

At first, you need to keep the wood in a warm and dark place, not forgetting to moisten the logs twice a week. After the appearance of the mycelium, the logs are allowed to be taken out into the light. When growing a coral-like blackberry in the country, the first harvest, subject to all the rules, will appear in six months. It will be necessary to cut the mushrooms almost immediately, without waiting until they turn yellow and begin to dry out.

Some interesting facts about coral urchins

Coral gericium is considered a medicinal mushroom in many countries. For example, in China it is actively used to treat the nervous system and strengthen the immune system.

The fungus contains compounds that are toxic to intestinal parasites. Due to this, the hedgehog becomes very useful in the treatment of nematodes – in combination with medicines, it helps to get rid of parasites faster.

In the late 1990s, the substance erinacin E, which stimulates the growth of nerve cells, was discovered in the composition of coral hericium. The medical significance of the mushroom has increased greatly as scientists have come to the conclusion that drugs based on it have the potential to cure Alzheimer’s disease.

Conclusion

Coral hedgehog is a rare and very beautiful mushroom with numerous beneficial properties. Not every mushroom picker manages to meet him, however, coral-like hericium is suitable, among other things, for growing in a summer cottage.