Well, you don’t see this dish everyday! It’s weird-looking and not particularly appealing at first glance, but this wood ear mushroom salad dish is literally on every menu in China.
I wouldn’t have dared to share this Wood Ear Mushroom Salad recipe a few years back, as very few people outside of Asia know what this ingredient is. But now that we’ve included wood ears in many of our popular recipes from the past few years–like Moo Shu Pork, Moo Shu Chicken, and Chicken with Garlic Sauce–we’re going whole hog on you all with this delicious wood ear appetizer.
I love wood ears and eat them all the time. In my opinion, the wood ear in my Braised Chicken with Mushrooms are the best part of the dish. The wood ear mushroom itself has little taste on its own, but it does have a kind of crunchy texture which is quite unique and pleasant.
Also, one of the best reasons to enjoy a few wood ears is for its health benefits. Here’s a true story: our neighbor’s dog, Brooklyn, had a serious blood disease, and his veterinarian told my neighbor that Brooklyn only had a couple of months to live. BUT the good news is, Brooklyn is still with us, because my neighbor put him on a pill that’s made of what he described as “some kind of black fungus that grows on dead tree trunks.”
Of course, it made all the sense to me. In Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) books, I’ve read that wood ears can act like purifiers in the human body. They help clean your insides, including the digestive system and blood. They can help to improve energy and immune function, but the most appealing benefit to everyone is that they supposedly help to delay signs of aging! Before I get myself into trouble by saying too much, feel free to turn to Google to read about all of wood ears’ benefits in detail!
This wood ears dish is a perfect side-dish to make year around. It’s fast and easy, and with its tangy flavor and crunchy texture, it’s actually very refreshing when the weather’s warm. It’s also a great dish to customize to your liking–for example, add a dash of Sichuan peppercorn oil or use our Homemade Chili Oil to add an extra kick.
A few things to remember:
- You should always use store-bought, dried wood ears (don’t try to forage for them yourself).
- Wood ear mushrooms must be cooked before consumption. Now’s not the time to pilot your raw foods diet.
- Don’t soak wood ears for more than 2-3 hours. They reconstitute in a relatively short amount of time.
- After soaking, trim off the tough stem area and wash thoroughly.
- Like anything that’s “good for you,” Traditional Chinese Medicine recommends pretty much everything in moderation.
You’ll need:
- 4 cups rehydrated wood ears, trimmed and washed
- 3 cloves of garlic, finely chopped
- 1-2 fresh red chili peppers, deseeded and chopped (optional)
- 1½ tablespoons dark vinegar
- 1 tablespoon light soy sauce
- 1 teaspoon sugar
- 1 teaspoon sesame oil
- 1 tablespoon finely chopped scallions (and/or cilantro)
In a medium-sized pot, cook the wood ears in boiling water for 3-4 minutes.
Drain and rinse under cold running water to cool them completely. Set aside and let any excess water drain off. You can also use a salad spinner to get rid of the excess water.
In a large bowl, mix together the garlic, peppers, vinegar, light soy sauce, sugar, and sesame oil until the sugar dissolves. Next, add the wood ear kmushrooms and mix well. Cover and let marinate in the refrigerator for 30 minutes.
Make sure to stir and mixture again before serving, as the sauce tends to settle to the bottom. Plate and garnish with the chopped scallion and/or cilantro.
Serve your wood ear mushroom salad as a side dish or appetizer!
- 4 cups rehydrated wood ears, trimmed and washed
- 3 cloves of garlic, finely chopped
- 1-2 fresh red chili peppers, deseeded and chopped (optional)
- 1½ tablespoons dark vinegar
- 1 tablespoon light soy sauce
- 1 teaspoon sugar
- 1 teaspoon sesame oil
- 1 tablespoon finely chopped scallions (and/or cilantro)
- In a medium-sized pot, cook the wood ears in boiling water for 3-4 minutes. Drain and rinse under cold running water to cool them completely. Set aside and let any excess water drain off. You can also use a salad spinner to get rid of the excess water.
- In a large bowl, mix together the garlic, peppers, vinegar, light soy sauce, sugar, and sesame oil until the sugar dissolves. Next, add the wood ears and mix well. Cover and let marinate in the refrigerator for 30 minutes. Make sure to stir and mixture again before serving, as the sauce tends to settle to the bottom. Plate and garnish with the chopped scallion and/or cilantro.
Jack says
Hi Judy. I bought for $5 a big bag of what looks like dried wood ear mushrooms in a Chinese dried/herbal place in NYC. The guy running the store didn’t speak much English but seemed to say to to soak, rinse, soak and then boil for 30 min. & then use in stir fry or whatever. Does this sound right to you and does this sound like the wood ear mushrooms used in this recipe? I followed his directions, they expand about 4X, and the result is pretty rubbery with no real taste– not at all unpleasant, just unusual. . I have used cloud ear mushrooms before in a stir fry recipe with cucumber & they seem a lot more delicate than this. Does it sound like i bought wood ear mushrooms that can be used in this recipe? thank you,
Bill says
Hi Jack, there seem to be different varieties of wood ears on the market these days. Years ago, cloud ears were the variety that were smaller, thinner and more tender and would be more appropriate for this recipe. However, these days, wood ears are used to refer to all types of wood and cloud ears so these differences can be confusing.
If you walk into a Chinese dried herbal place, you should ask for cloud ears for this recipe, because the wood ears he probably has (also from your description) are the larger and meatier variety suitable for stews. I will have to update our ingredients pages to clear up this confusion. To answer your question, You bought the larger, tougher wood ears, and they’re probably not the best kind for this recipe!
Maggie says
Hi ????
Can I buy the FRESH WOOD EAR in The Chinese supermarket ( It’s package up and put in the vegetable section) and make this salad? Please let me know.
Thank you ????
Judy says
Yes, you can. Just know that you still need to follow the recipe when preparing the wood ears.
Wayne says
Made this last night! The local Ranch 99 Customer Service rep said they did not carry this item
when she read the Chinese symbols I showed her: 凉拌木耳
She actually pointed me towards some bag of seaweed that can be used in a salad.
By chance I did find they had them not only in stock in the fresh produce section. (They are from neighboring Mexico.) I boiled for 4 minutes tasting after 15 seconds and then throughout the time leading to what seemed to me a good texture. These did not need to get thrown into ice water as one store rep suggested. They stay firm. I mixed up them up in the sauce goodness then 30 min in the frig my guest and I gobbled them down.
Would you mind providing me the Chinese for Fresh and Dried Wood Ear Mushroom? I want to find the dried version next time if the store carries it.
Also I have some Century Eggs I could use a decent recipe suggestion for if you have one.
Thanks!
Judy says
Hi Wayne, 99 Ranch has fresh wood ears (新鲜木耳）as well as dried wood ears (干的木耳). I shop there too. As for your century eggs, I usually just peel and cut them into quarters and dip them in some light soy sauce. You can also use them to make our 20-Minute Congee with Pork and Century Eggs.
Carol says
hi judy,
i live in san francisco and we have a wonderful mushroom purveyor (far west fungi) who sells a huge variety of mushrooms, including fresh wood ears!!! i saw them for the first time (fresh) and bought some. for this recipe, would they still require boiling, or is that more because of rehydrating the dried ones??
really enjoy your site — lots of recipes i grew up with!
Judy says
Hi Carol, yes, you should boil them––you should not eat them raw.
Charmaine says
Add some (roughly cut) cucumbers to this dish and it’ll be even better than it already is! P-:
Judy says
Really!? I will have to try that. Thank you!
Carol says
Hi, may i know how long can i keep this if were to make it and store them in the fridge?
Judy says
Hi Carol, it’s best to make it and eat it the same day :-)
Foodforlife says
I love wood ears. Get plenty of it here in season. We make a mean stir fry with it. Sure to try this recipe when i get some free time.
Judy says
Hi Fooodforlife, did you try our Moo Shu Pork? it’s a great stir fry with wood ears.
sophie says
Thanks for this recipe! I love wood ear but I’ve never figured out what else to do with it, aside from dropping it into hot & sour soup, since I’m not a good cook. This salad looks simple enough even for me to get right.
Judy says
Hi Sophie, after you try this dish, you can also use the wood ears in another one of my favorite recipes: Braised Chicken with Mushroom.