This may be an odd dish for you if you are from outside Asia! I have struggled for a while wondering if I should share this recipe… or any wood ear mushroom recipes for that matter.
However, for me, wood ear mushrooms are super tasty, rich in fibre, and high in iron. Unusually they also contain a decent amount of vitamin B-2 (which you can see more details of here). They are totally underrated in the West and I would love to introduce them to more people. So, if you are brave and open to trying something new from another side of the world, keep reading!
The wood ear mushrooms are weird-looking, you might even find them unappealing and hard to take the first bite. However, if you love oriental food, you may actually have eaten them many times without even noticing. Yes, just like the bamboo shoot, they are everywhere!!! They may be hidden within a dumpling, chow mein, spring rolls, or any stir-fry.
The flavour is very mild, but the texture is interesting. Nothing from the West pops into my mind as having the same texture. It is soft but crunchy, velvety but chewy at the same time – odd, right? ?
You can easily get dried wood ear mushrooms in any oriental grocery store, the pack usually looks like this.
Soak the dried wood ear mushrooms in boiling water for around 5-10 minutes until they expand and turn completely soft.
If you are on a raw diet, you can soak the wood ear mushrooms in cold water, but this takes at least 8 hours, so it might best to prepare them overnight.
Meanwhile, you can prepare the vegetables.
Cut the carrot into thin juliennes, or you can save yourself a few minutes of cutting work if you have a spiraliser (lazy me ?)
You need about 1/4 – 1/3 of spring onion. Shred it into really thin strips, roughly 2-3mm wide and 4-5cm long.
Now the wood ear mushrooms should be soft and ready to use. Pick them up and examine each piece, removing the hard stems if necessary.
Make sure to wash the wood ear mushrooms with ice-cold water as sometimes they can be sandy. Shake out any excess water through a sieve and set aside.
Add the sauce ingredients, wood ear mushrooms, spring onion and carrot into a mixing bowl and toss well.
Ideally, the salad should be cooled in the refrigerator for 20–30 minutes before serving, but it is not essential.
Wood ear mushrooms come in a dried package. They are super easy to store and I always have a pack in my cupboard ready so I can just soak them anytime I want. I love these mushrooms and cook and eat them ALL the time… This is my first wood ear mushrooms recipe that I have shared – more are definitely coming! Please like and follow me if you are interested in trying some unusual ingredients and recipes from the East.
This recipe was created for Veahero, a cool new (free!) meal planning platform for vegans and vegetarians.
If you have followed and made this recipe, let me know! Leave a comment and take a picture, tagging it with #k33_kitchen and share it on Instagram! I’d be very excited to see what you come up with. Cheers, hope you enjoy my recipes!
Difficulty: Easy
Serves: 2
Prep.: 10 mins | Cook: 5 mins
Ingredients:Main
Sauce
Note:
* Regular soy sauce is made with fermented wheat. Use gluten-free soy sauce if you are gluten intolerant. For a raw diet, you can replace the regular soy sauce with nama shoyu.
** If you are on a raw diet, you can soak the wood ear mushrooms in cold water, but it takes at least 8 hours, so it might be best to prepare them overnight.
Hello! My name is Kee. I’m an illustrator, graphic designer, music lover, gym freak, mountain hiker, vegan cook and wine drinker based in London.
For me, food is not just the indulgence of taste-buds; it is a way to connect people together, a way of feeling, of touching, of loving and of sharing. It creates a moment, a memory and a togetherness with someone you care for or an experience just for yourself. I want to create delicious plant-based dishes that everyone can experience and enjoy together, whether vegan, vegetarian or meat eater. Seeing people’s joy when eating just gives me butterflies and so here I am. Welcome to K33 Kitchen! <3 <3
Donde puedo encontrar la oreja de judas en Tenerife?
First time with wood ear mushrooms. I added them to a shrimp stir fry and the texture was appealing, but didn’t think they have a lot of taste. I thought they would absorb the sauce more but we enjoyed them. Will try again with this salad.
No wood ear mushroom doesn’t taste as all, and they don’t absorb flavour well like tofu due to the “jellyish” and plasticky texture. Most ppl like wood ear mushroom for its crunchy texture, and it is pretty unique but may not work for everyone. Please keep me in the loop,
P.S. Wood ear mushrooms are a great source of many important vitamins, minerals, plus high in antioxidant… best secret to keep you looking and feeling younger.😘😘