This salad is a common cold dish in China, eaten in many provinces throughout the year. These mushrooms are used medicinally to clear toxins from the body, support the lungs and boost the immune system. They are sold dried, often labelled as “black fungus” and once rehydrated have a firm jelly like texture that is quite unique compared to other mushrooms. I found these ones at fairways market for about 3$, so they are also a great value for their nutrient content.

Ingredients:

1 1/2 cups dried wood ear
1 med-large cucumber
3-4 cloves garlic, crushed
sesame oil
soy sauce
1/2 - 1 tbsp sambal chili paste or to taste

Directions:

-Rehydrate mushrooms for 2-3 hours or over night. Trim off hard ends if any.

-In a wok or large skillet, simmer garlic in generous amount of sesame oil until fragrant.

-Add mushrooms, chilli paste, drizzle with soy sauce and sautéed for 5-7 minutes.

-Remove from heat and toss with cucumber. Serve warm or cold.