Source: Meow Science
I don't know if you have noticed that during the autumn harvest, some large bales of corn always grow in the field, which look like black tumors.
Because of its ugly appearance, many people used to throw away these corns. So why does corn grow this stuff as it grows?
Actually, this is because a fungus called corn smut fungus infects corn.
When corn is infected by this fungus, especially during the heading stage, it cannot grow and develop properly.
The most obvious change is that the corn kernels will become abnormal, and this tumor-like thing will form due to excessive expansion.
Since Umi looks a bit scary and even looks a bit like mold and spoilage, many people will find it poisonous.
Therefore, as soon as the corn in the field is found to have grown such nodules, the farmers will immediately cut down the corn and throw it far away from the field to prevent other corn from being infected.
However, in Mexico, this kind of umi is regarded as a precious ingredient, known as corn black truffle, and its price is as high as more than 4,000 pesos per kilogram, about 400 yuan, which is twenty or thirty times the price of corn in China.
Mexican housewives have a unique culinary preference for using powdery mildew to create a variety of cuisines.
Whether it's soups, steamed meats or fried eggs, they like to add this special ingredient to both the taste of the food and the unique seasoning.
It is said that Umi has a mushroom-like texture when cooked, with a slightly sweet and salty taste, and is rich in amino acids and protein, making it superior to other mushrooms.
However, it seems that only Mexicans are so fanatical, and the food culture and taste preferences of different countries vary greatly, and people from other countries are not very interested.
In fact, growers in many countries are even trying to get rid of the powdery mildew, which is considered a disease.
After all, although powdery mildew belongs to the category of mushrooms, its appearance is not like traditional mushrooms, and not everyone can accept it.
In the past, the reason why no one ate Umi in the country was also very simple: on the one hand, farmers mainly relied on corn as a source of income, and it was not cost-effective to choose to breed powdery mildew, which would lead to a significant reduction in the harvest.
On the other hand, there are difficulties in cultivating powdery mildew, not only due to seasonal and climatic constraints, but also the potential risk of infecting other uninfected crops, which may cause greater losses.
However, as people come into contact with more things, many people have also noticed this fungus.
Compared with the black truffle that grows in the soil with an earthy smell, black powder fungus is more in line with the taste of Chinese.
Although it looks a little ugly on the outside, it tastes very sweet. Not only is it suitable for making dumpling filling, but adding powdery mildew to the soup can also make the soup more delicious.
There are many highly toxic fungi in nature, but powdery mildew is an exception.
According to the "Pharmacopoeia", corn black powdery mildew is sweet in taste and can treat symptoms such as blood deficiency, lack of fluid, and dry mouth.
When you're feeling in a bad mood or irritable, a bowl of black powder mushroom soup may be able to give you a lot of energy.