Emily Johnson
Haiti is home to the djon djon mushroom, a rare edible black fungus that is highly prized in Haitian cuisine. The mushroom is a key ingredient in the Haitian national dish, a black rice dish called diri ak djon djon or riz djon djon. The dish is typically served on special occasions such as birthdays, weddings, holidays, and Sunday dinners. The mushrooms are hand-picked during the rainy season, dried in the sun, and then sold in local markets or exported abroad. They are known for their distinctive taste and ability to impart a deep colour and earthy aroma to the rice dish.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Common name | Djondjon, Djon djon, Djon-djon |
| Colour | Black |
| Rice dish names | Diri ak djon djon, Diri djondjon, Riz djon-djon |
| Occasions served on | Weddings, holidays, birthdays, Sunday dinners, Christmas |
| Region | Northern Haiti, Artibonite Valley, mountains surrounding the Artibonite River valley |
| Season | Rainy season, from August to October |
| Substitutes | Maggi Djon Djon, Maggi bouillon cubes |
| Price | High |
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What You'll Learn
Djon djon mushrooms are a Haitian delicacy
Djon djon mushrooms are used in a variety of Haitian dishes, most notably diri djondjon (or diri ak djon-djon), a rice dish that takes its name from the mushrooms. The mushrooms are boiled, releasing a grayish-black colour and a woody, earthy flavour into the water, which is then used to cook the rice, giving it a near-black colour. Diri djondjon is typically served with meat such as pork or fish, or with shrimp or lobster. It is a beloved dish in Haiti, often served on special occasions such as birthdays, weddings, First Communions, and Christmas.
Djon djon mushrooms are rare and highly prized by Haitians, both in Haiti and abroad. They are only available during the rainy season, from August to October, and must be hand-picked from the dead wood in the mountains of the Artibonite River valley, a region known as the "bread bowl of Haiti". The fresh mushrooms have a putrid stench, so cooks typically opt for dried mushrooms, which have a longer shelf life. Djon djon mushrooms are difficult to source outside of Haiti and are sold at a high price in western stores. Haitians living abroad may use djon djon-flavoured stock cubes as a substitute for the real thing.
The distinctive flavour, colour, and aroma of djon djon mushrooms have made them a beloved component of Haitian cuisine and a source of national identity.
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They are used to make a special rice dish
Djon djon mushrooms are used to make a special rice dish in Haiti. The mushrooms are black, edible, and highly prized. They are used to make a rice dish with the same name, which is considered a delicacy in Haiti. The dish is often served on special occasions such as birthdays, weddings, holidays, and Sundays. It is also served to celebrate Christmas.
The mushrooms are hand-picked during the rainy season, which lasts from August to October. They grow in the mountains surrounding the Artibonite River valley, a region known as the "bread bowl of Haiti." The rice dish is made by first soaking the mushrooms in water to create a broth. This broth is then used to cook the rice, giving it a unique black colour and a meaty, earthy flavour. Some recipes also call for blending the mushrooms with the broth to create a purée, which is then added to the rice.
The dish is also sometimes made with Maggi Djon Djon bouillon cubes, which are used as a substitute for the mushrooms when they are not available. These bouillon cubes are produced by a German company and are designed to mimic the flavour and colour of the djon djon mushrooms.
Djon djon mushrooms are considered a delicacy and are often sought out by Haitians living abroad. They are also one of the most costly components in Haitian cuisine, which is why the dish is typically reserved for special occasions.
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The mushrooms are hand-picked during the rainy season
Djon-djon mushrooms are a delicacy in Haiti, where they are used in cooking. They are also known as Haitian black mushrooms or simply black mushrooms. The mushrooms are highly prized and are the key ingredient in the rice dish diri ak djon-djon, or Haitian black rice.
The mushrooms are left to shrivel in the sun after being picked. They are then sold across the island or exported, dried, to the United States, where they are bought by Haitian Americans. They are also sold fresh, but these have a putrid stench, so cooks tend to prefer the dried variety.
To prepare the mushrooms for cooking, they are cleaned thoroughly and soaked in water or chicken broth to create a broth. The rice is then cooked in this broth, which turns it a dark brown or black colour. The mushroom broth can also be blended with an epis seasoning and then used to cook the rice.
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They are sold dried and are quite expensive
Djon djon mushrooms are a Haitian delicacy, often served at weddings, holidays, and other special occasions. They are used to make a rice dish called diri ak djon djon, which is considered a source of national identity for Haitians. The mushrooms are hand-picked during the rainy season, dried in the sun, and then sold across the island or exported to the United States.
Djon djon mushrooms are sold dried and are quite expensive. Gene Yetter of the New Jersey Mycological Association and New York Mycological Society reported that they are sold dried in New York for around $1 USD for a quarter of an ounce. In Haiti, vendors may raise prices for tourists, and the mushrooms can be difficult to find. They are considered "like gold" by some and are highly sought after.
The high price of djon djon mushrooms is due to their rarity and the labour-intensive process of harvesting and drying them. They only grow in a specific region of Haiti, the mountainous area surrounding the Artibonite River valley, known as the "bread bowl of Haiti." They are also only available during the rainy season, which lasts from August to October.
The dried mushrooms are preferred over fresh ones because they have a longer shelf life and because fresh djon djon mushrooms have an intense, putrid stench. The drying process also concentrates the flavour of the mushrooms, making them more potent and valuable for cooking.
Outside of Haiti, djon djon mushrooms can be even more expensive due to increased demand and the cost of importing them. Haitians living abroad, particularly in the United States and Canada, often seek out the mushrooms in grocery stores located in areas with large Haitian populations. Some people buy large amounts of the mushrooms and send them to these countries to sell in diaspora markets.
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Haitians abroad seek them out for their cooking
Haitians living abroad seek out djon djon mushrooms for their cooking, particularly for use in the Haitian rice dish diri ak djon djon. The mushrooms are also sometimes referred to as djondjon. They are used to flavour and colour the rice, giving it a distinctive black appearance. The dish is often served on special occasions, such as birthdays, weddings, holidays, Sunday dinners, or Christmas.
Djon djon mushrooms are rare and only grow in Haiti's Artibonite Valley, which is known as the "bread bowl of Haiti". They can only be hand-picked during the rainy season, between August and October, and are hard to find. The mushrooms are sold dried and can be purchased in Haitian stores in larger cities, as well as in areas with large Haitian populations outside of Haiti, such as Florida and New York. However, they are often sold at high prices.
When cooking with djon djon mushrooms, it is best to soak the mushrooms overnight to achieve an intense flavour. The mushrooms can also be boiled to retrieve the coloured water, which can then be used to cook the rice. The mushrooms themselves are discarded after the water has been extracted.
Due to the difficulty in obtaining djon djon mushrooms outside of Haiti, some people use djon djon-flavoured stock cubes as a substitute. These are produced by companies such as Maggi and are used to recreate the deep colour and earthy aroma of the mushrooms. However, some people believe that the stock cubes do not provide the same flavour as the real mushrooms.
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Frequently asked questions
Yes, there are mushrooms in Haiti.
There are black edible mushrooms in Haiti, commonly known as djon djon.
Djon djon mushrooms grow in the northern region of Haiti, particularly in the mountains surrounding the Artibonite River valley, also known as the "bread bowl of Haiti".
Djon djon mushrooms are used in Haitian cuisine, particularly in a beloved rice dish called diri ak djon djon or riz djon djon. The mushrooms are hand-picked during the rainy season and sold dried across the island or exported to other countries with large Haitian populations.
