Wood Ear Mushroom Salad

This side dish has a surprising crunch and slight bite via the judicious use of chilies. If you like you can add in 1 slivered green onion before serving. Cafe Drake adapted the recipe only marginally from the blog Cooking in the City.


1 cup wood ear mushrooms
2 Tablespoons cilantro, chopped
1 garlic clove, minced
1 small green or red chilli, chopped
Juice of 1 lime
1 teaspoon sesame oil
1 teaspoon soy sauce
1 teaspoon sugar

Pour boiling water over mushrooms and soak for up to 1 hour until soft. Drain and tear into bite size pieces. Rinse very well, scrubbing mushrooms with your fingers. Drain again.

For the dressing, mix together garlic, chilli, lime juice, sesame oil, soy sauce and sugar until sugar has dissolved. Toss dressing with mushrooms and cilantro. Refrigerate for an hour or two before serving slightly chilled.