Wood ear mushroom salad is one of my favorite cold dishes when I want something light and refreshing. The mushrooms are soaked until plump, trimmed, briefly blanched, then tossed with a bright dressing. It’s delicious on its own and especially good served over rice.
Serves: 4 as a side dish
Prep Time: 10 minutes, plus 30 minutes soaking
Cook Time: 5 minutes
Total Time: 45 minutes
Ingredients
50 g dried wood ear mushrooms (See Notes)
1 tablespoon sesame oil
2.5 tablespoon Chinese black vinegar
1 tablespoon soy sauce
1/4 teaspoon chicken bouillon powder, optional
1/2 teaspoon sugar
1/4 teaspoon fine sea salt
2 scallions, diced
Chili oil, to taste, optional
Directions
Place the dried wood ear mushrooms in a large bowl and cover with 3 to 4 inches of cool water. Soak until fully rehydrated and plump, about 30 minutes, or up to 8 hours refrigerated.
Drain the mushrooms. Using a small knife, trim away the firm, pale-colored base from the bottom of each mushroom. Tear any large pieces into bite-size pieces.
Bring a pot of water to a boil. Add the mushrooms and blanch for 5 minutes. Drain well, then spread the mushrooms on a plate and let them air-dry and cool.
Transfer the cooled mushrooms to a bowl. Add the sesame oil, black vinegar, soy sauce, chicken bouillon powder, if using, sugar, sea salt, scallions, and chili oil, if using. Toss thoroughly to coat and serve.
A small bowl of dried wood ear mushrooms may not look like much, and it can be hard to gauge how much to use. A 50 g package expands to about 400 g once fully rehydrated, which is enough for this recipe.
Most of the ingredients for this salad are staples in a Chinese pantry, including the dried wood ear mushrooms. If you keep these basics on hand, it’s an easy salad to pull together without buying much extra.
The lighter-colored base is where the mushroom was attached as it grew. This part can be tough and sometimes hold a little grit, so I trim it away with a small knife after soaking. The rest of the mushroom should feel tender and pliable.
Notes
A 50 g package of dried wood ear mushrooms expands considerably once rehydrated, yielding about 400 g soaked mushrooms. I soak them in a bowl with plenty of water, about 3 to 4 inches above the mushrooms, so they have room to fully expand.
I prefer starting with dried wood ear mushrooms and soaking them myself. This gives me control over how long they’ve been rehydrated and ensures they’re freshly prepared when I make the salad.
The salad can be made up to 1 day ahead. Cover and refrigerate, then toss again before serving.
