Chilled Black Fungus Salad with Crispy Vegetables

Name: Chilled Black Fungus Salad with Crispy Vegetables
Total time: 45 min
Ingredients: 15 grams dried black wood ear mushrooms; 1 medium carrot; 1 small green bell pepper; a handful fresh cilantro; 2 stalks scallions; 3 cloves garlic cloves; 1 small piece fresh ginger; 2 tablespoons light soy sauce; 1 tablespoon rice vinegar; 1 teaspoon toasted sesame oil; 1 teaspoon chili oil; to taste salt; a pinch sugar

A refreshing cold appetizer featuring tender wood ear mushrooms tossed with crunchy vegetables in a savory, slightly spicy dressing. Perfect as a light starter or side dish.

45 min

Easy

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Chilled Black Fungus Salad with Crispy Vegetables

Story

Wood ear mushrooms have a delightfully chewy texture that absorbs all the wonderful flavors of this zesty dressing. Soaking them overnight yields the best results, but a quick 30-minute soak works in a pinch.

Ingredients

dried black wood ear mushrooms 15 grams

carrot 1 medium

green bell pepper 1 small

fresh cilantro a handful

scallions 2 stalks

garlic cloves 3 cloves

fresh ginger 1 small piece

light soy sauce 2 tablespoons

rice vinegar 1 tablespoon

toasted sesame oil 1 teaspoon

chili oil 1 teaspoon

salt to taste

sugar a pinch

Instructions

Soak and Clean the Mushrooms

Place the dried black fungus in a bowl of cold water and let it soak overnight (or for at least 30 minutes if you're short on time). Once softened, drain and rinse thoroughly, removing any hard stems or debris. Tear or cut the mushrooms into bite-sized pieces.

Blanch the Fungus

Bring a pot of water to a rolling boil and add a generous pinch of salt. Drop in the wood ear pieces and cook for exactly 3 minutes. Immediately drain and transfer to ice water to stop the cooking process. Once cooled, drain again and pat dry with paper towels.

Prepare the Vegetables

Peel and julienne the carrot into thin matchstick-sized pieces. Cut the green bell pepper into similar thin strips. Roughly chop the cilantro, slice the scallions on a diagonal, and finely mince the garlic and ginger.

Make the Dressing

In a small bowl, combine the minced garlic and ginger with soy sauce, rice vinegar, sesame oil, chili oil, a pinch of sugar, and salt. Whisk until the sugar dissolves. Taste and adjust seasoning as needed.

Combine and Serve

In a large mixing bowl, toss the blanched mushrooms with the julienned carrots, bell peppers, cilantro, and scallions. Pour the dressing over everything and toss vigorously until well coated. For best flavor, let it rest for 5 minutes before serving chilled.