Dried tree ear mushrooms are widely used in Chinese cooking, particularly in soups, stews, and salads. Most of these inexpensive mushrooms have little taste, but they do have a great chewy texture. They grow on tree trunks and are called by various names, including tree ear, wood ear, black ear, black fungus, Judas’s ear, and cloud ear, which some people say is the larger variety. They have to be reconstituted in water, and the stems, if any, should be trimmed off, as they can be sandy. The mushrooms are then boiled for a few minutes before use in a dish. Tree ears don’t get soft as they cook, retaining their crunchy texture. If possible, buy small ones, which have a better texture than the larger ones. (Dried Chinese seaweed is similar in color and can be prepared in the same manner.) Shorey loves Chinese food and is very fond of this salad.
Serves 4 to 6
Soak the mushrooms in 4 cups warm water in a saucepan for about 30 minutes, or until they rehydrate.
Lift the mushrooms from the water, remove and discard any tough stems, and cut them into 2- to 3-inch pieces. Return the mushrooms to the soaking water, bring to a boil, cover, and boil for 10 minutes. Set aside.
Meanwhile, make the dressing: Mix all the ingredients except the cilantro together in a medium bowl.
Drain the mushrooms and add them, still warm, to the dressing. Toss well and let marinate for a few hours, tossing occasionally, until ready to serve.
Serve the salad with the cilantro sprinkled on top.