Hunan-Style Marinated Wood Ear Mushrooms with Chili Pepper
2 min readThis popular appetizer is also delicious tossed with hot cooked rice. Wood ear mushrooms have a unique jellylike texture that becomes slightly crunchy when cooked; cloud ear mushrooms, or black fungus, are interchangeable. For a milder version, omit the Chinese hot oil and seed the chilies.
MAKES 4 TO 6 SERVINGS
2 1⁄2 ounces dried shredded wood ear mushrooms, soaked in hot water to cover 20 minutes, or until softened, drained and rinsed
1 tablespoon plain rice vinegar
1 tablespoon reduced-sodium soy sauce
1⁄2 tablespoon toasted (dark) sesame oil
1⁄2 to 1 teaspoon Chinese hot oil
1 teaspoon finely chopped fresh ginger
1 teaspoon sugar
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1⁄4 teaspoon salt, or to taste
Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
1⁄4 cup finely chopped red onion
2 scallions, white and green parts, thinly sliced
1 to 2 fresh red chili peppers, seeded, if desired, thinly sliced
Bring a large saucepan of water to a boil over high heat; add the mushrooms and boil 3 to 4 minutes, or until tender yet crunchy. Drain in a colander and rinse under cold running water until cool; drain well.
In a large bowl, stir together the vinegar, soy sauce, sesame oil, hot oil, ginger, sugar, garlic, salt, and black pepper. Let stand about 10 minutes to allow the flavors to blend. Stir again and add the mushrooms, onion, scallions, and chili pepper, tossing well to thoroughly combine. Cover and refrigerate a minimum of 3 hours, or up to 3 days. Toss and serve chilled, or return to room temperature.
{PER SERVING} Calories 95 • Protein 3g • Total Fat 3g • Sat Fat 0g • Cholesterol 0mg • Carbohydrate 19g • Dietary Fiber 3g • Sodium 289mg
