Fresh-Spicy Wood Ear Fungus Salad
By Ellie Edwards
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Easy
You'll find a salad very similar to this one in Sichuanese restaurants across the UK, and more usually made with the more delicate cloud-ear fungus. Wood-ear fungus is more commonly served in slow simmered dishes like this braised bean curd skin with mushrooms recipe. However, when boiled and finely sliced, the wood-ear fungus is also great in salads - you retain the great fungus crunch, but is pliable enough to enjoy quick-cooked and chilled.
Serve this sharp fresh salad as a starter for a fuller Chinese meal, or a contrasting complement alongside richer Sichuan dishes like Mapo Dofu or fish-fragrant aubergine.
Serves 4 as a side dish
Ingredients for wood ear fungus salad recipe Serves: 4
- 50g wood ear fungus
- 3 tsp finely chopped garlic
- 1 red chilli, finely sliced
- 2 tsp Chinkiang vinegar
- 2 tsp rice vinegar
- 2 tsp Japanese soy sauce
- 2 tsp sesame oil
- 1/2 tsp flaky salt
- Handful of fresh coriander, finely sliced
Method for wood ear fungus salad recipe
- First prepare the fungus. Pour over cold water to soak for 20 minutes. Then simmer for 10 minutes until very soft. Drain and tip back into the saucepan with cold running water to quickly cool to room temperature.
- Lift out with your hands, and place on a chopping board. Cut out any firm pieces and discard. Roll the remaining sheets of fungus into cylinders, and finely slice into ribbons.
- Place the fungus in a big mixing bowl, and add the garlic, chilli, Chinkiang vinegar, rice vinegar, soy sauce, sesame oil, salt and fresh coriander. Toss well with your hands and serve.
Shop all dried mushrooms, and try our braised bean curd skin with mushrooms recipe here.
About the author
Ellie Edwards is a food writer for Sous Chef. Previously she worked at olive magazine, writing about exciting new ingredients, UK restaurants and travelling the world to find the best cinnamon buns. When she's not exploring the likes of Belize, Kerala and Zanzibar, Ellie loves rustling up a feast in her London kitchen, with a particular passion for porridge, sourdough and negronis.
