Last Updated on September 5, 2020 by Simon Fan
Wood ear mushrooms include several closely related species of tree fungus that are prized in Chinese cuisine as well as in Traditional Chinese Medicine.
Black wood ear mushrooms have appeared in several of my recipes before. Their unique neutral taste and crunchy texture, not to mention the nutritional and medicinal properties they have, make them a favorite ingredient in Chinese cooking and my repertoire.
Making their debut here on my blog are the white wood ear mushrooms. Called Bai Mu Er (白木耳) in Mandarin, they’re also known as Yin Er (银耳), literally “silver ear.” Yellow-white and brittle in the dried form, they turn into semi-translucent and gelatinous yet firm when rehydrated. They’re often used in sweet dishes, primarily sweet soups, to nourish and cleanse the body with their medicinal (such as anti-inflammatory) benefits.
The fact that they’re not used very often in savory dishes is a mystery to me, because their subtle flavor and crunchy texture, just like the black variety, can bring interesting contrasts and dimensions to a salad or stir-fry.
My dish here is inspired by the cooking of Shandong Province in China. Tossing black wood ear mushrooms with cucumber is a popular salad there in the summer. Mixing black and white wood ear mushrooms with scallion-flavored oil is another intriguing local dish. My recipe below is a mash-up of those two wonderful salads, bringing together both black and white wood ear varieties and cucumber in one dish. The delicate and refreshing ensemble gets a punch from a not-so-subtle dressing with raw garlic, soy sauce, vinegar, sugar, and spiced oil.
Salad of black and white wood ear mushrooms with cucumber
Serves 2
Ingredients
8 oz (230 g) seedless cucumber, thinly sliced crosswise
5 g dried black wood ear mushrooms
5 g dried white wood ear mushrooms
Dressing
2 garlic cloves, grated
2 teaspoons soy sauce
2 teaspoons Zhenjiang (aka Chinkiang) vinegar
1 teaspoon sugar
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 scallion, cut into 1-inch (2.5 cm) pieces
1 whole star anise
10 Sichuan peppercorns
Directions
- Chill the sliced cucumber in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes before serving.
- Soak the black and white wood ear mushrooms in cold water in two separate bowls for 30 minutes. Remove any hard or knobby bits from the soaked mushrooms and tear them into small pieces, keeping the black and white varieties separated. Bring a pot of water to a boil. Add the black mushrooms and boil for 3 minutes. Add the white ones and continue to boil for 2 minutes. Transfer the mushrooms to a colander and rinse under cold water to cool. Drain well and pat dry.
- To make the dressing, mix well the garlic, soy sauce, vinegar, and sugar in a bowl. Heat the oil in a wok over medium heat. Add the scallion, star anise, and Sichuan peppercorns, and stir-fry until the oil is fragrant, about 1 minute. Strain the oil, and let it cool a bit before mixing it with the other dressing ingredients in the bowl.
- In a large salad bowl, toss the mushrooms and cucumber together with the dressing. Serve right away.
