Wood Ear Mushroom Salad (Liángbàn Mù'ěr 凉拌木耳)
In Chinese culture, wood ear mushrooms are often associated with long life and good health. This crunchy cold salad in a garlicky, tangy chili dressing carries that symbolism – a tasty treat and a wish for good health in one bowl.
Servings: 2
Ingredients
- 50 g dried wood ear mushrooms about 1¾ oz
- 3 cloves garlic minced
- 1 tsp chili flakes
- 1½ tsp ground Sichuan pepper
- 2 tbsp neutral oil
- 1 tbsp light soy sauce
- 2 tsp rice vinegar black (Chinkiang) or clear
- 1 tsp sugar
- 1 fresh red chili thinly sliced
- ½ red onion thinly sliced
- cilantro
Instructions
Mushrooms
- In a large bowl, soak the dried wood ear mushrooms in cold water for 1–2 hours, until fully rehydrated. Keep the bowl in the fridge if your kitchen is warm.
- Rinse under running water and trim off any tough attachment points. Tear large pieces into bite-size pieces.
- Bring a pot of water to a rolling boil. Blanch the mushrooms for 1–2 minutes (depending on their thickness).
- Rinse with cold water to cool them down, then drain well.
Dressing
- Put the minced garlic, chili flakes and ground Sichuan pepper in a heatproof bowl. Heat the oil until it just starts to smoke, then pour it over the garlic and spices.
- Add the soy sauce, rice vinegar and sugar. Stir well.
- In a large bowl, toss the mushrooms with the fresh chili, red onion and dressing until well combined. Add the cilantro.
- Enjoy the salad right away, or chill it in the fridge for a while for even better flavor.
Notes
Food safety: don't leave wood ear mushrooms soaking for many hours or overnight at room temperature – soaked wood ears can spoil and become unsafe. Soak only as long as needed (refrigerate if soaking longer), and eat the cooked salad the same day.
A splash of white vinegar in the soaking water makes the mushrooms extra crunchy.
If you have pickled chilies, they're a great addition. No chili on hand? Use thinly sliced red or green bell pepper.