Cold Tossed Wood Ear Mushrooms is a classic, quick cold appetizer. The mushrooms are crunchy and bouncy, tossed in a tangy and spicy dressing. It’s incredibly refreshing and cuts through rich dishes perfectly. The method is so simple you barely need to turn on the stove—ready in minutes, it’s the perfect side for porridge, rice, or heavy meat dishes.
Prep time: 1.5 hours (mostly for soaking) | Cook time: 5 minutes | Serves: 2–3
🌴 Ingredients:
· Dried wood ear mushrooms, a small handful (about 20g / 0.7 oz; about 150g / 5.3 oz after soaking)
🌴 Aromatics:
· Minced garlic, 4–5 cloves (about 20g; keep half raw for the final toss)
· Thai bird’s eye chilies, 2–3 (about 5g; sliced into rings, adjust to taste)
· Cilantro, 1–2 sprigs (about 10g; chopped, optional)
· Toasted white sesame seeds, 1 tsp (about 3g; for garnish, save a little for the hot oil)
· Sichuan peppercorns, a few (about 1g; optional, for the hot oil)
· Shredded cucumber / onion / carrot, as needed (optional, for extra crunch)
🌴 Seasonings:
· Light soy sauce, 2 tbsp (about 30ml)
· Chinkiang vinegar, 2–2½ tbsp (about 30–35ml; add up to 3 tbsp if you like it extra sour)
· Oyster sauce, ½ tbsp (about 7.5g)
· Sugar, 1 tbsp (about 12g; reduce to ½–⅔ tbsp if you prefer less sweet)
· Salt, none or to taste at the end
· Sesame oil, ½ to ⅔ tbsp (about 7.5–10ml)
· Chili oil, 1 tbsp (about 15ml; optional)
· Cooking oil, 1 tbsp (about 15ml; for drizzling)
All spoon measures are level. Chinkiang vinegar is slightly sweet and malty—use it as listed for the best flavor.
🌴 Instructions:
- Soak the Mushrooms
Soak the dried wood ear mushrooms in cold water for 1–2 hours, until fully expanded and elastic. Do not soak for more than 4 hours, and never leave them overnight. After soaking, trim off the hard stems and tear them into bite-sized pieces (about 3–4cm / 1½ inches). ⚠️ Tip: Don’t use hot water—it makes them soft and less crunchy. Soaking for too long, especially in summer, can breed bacteria. Blanch them as soon as they’re soaked. - Blanch the Mushrooms
Bring a pot of water to a boil. Add the mushrooms and blanch for 1.5–2 minutes after the water comes back to a boil. Remove immediately and plunge them into a bowl of ice water. Soak until completely cold and bouncy to the touch. ⚠️ Tip: Don’t blanch them for too long, or they’ll turn mushy. The ice water must be very cold—chilling them completely keeps them crunchy. (Optional: add a few drops of oil or a pinch of salt to the blanching water for extra shine.) - Drain Well
Remove the chilled mushrooms, drain well, and pat them dry with paper towels or shake them in a colander. Place them in a large bowl. ⚠️ Tip: Wood ear mushrooms have many folds that trap water. Draining and patting them dry prevents the salad from becoming watery and diluting the flavor. - Make the Base Dressing
In a bowl, combine 2 tbsp light soy sauce, 2–2½ tbsp Chinkiang vinegar, ½ tbsp oyster sauce, 1 tbsp sugar, ½ to ⅔ tbsp sesame oil, and 1 tbsp chili oil. Stir well. Taste and adjust the sweet, sour, and salty balance to your preference. ⚠️ Tip: Taste the dressing first—if it’s too sour, add sugar; if it’s too bland, add soy sauce. Hold off on the salt because the soy sauce and oyster sauce are already salty. Add it only if needed. - Sizzle the Aromatics
Heat 1 tbsp cooking oil in a pan until you see ripples on the surface and a chopstick inserted produces small bubbles. Place half of the minced garlic, the chilies, a pinch of sesame seeds, and a few Sichuan peppercorns in a small heatproof bowl. Pour the hot oil over them—it should sizzle and release a strong aroma. You can remove the peppercorns afterward. ⚠️ Tip: The oil must be hot enough to release the garlic aroma. Pour it over the garlic in a bowl instead of frying it in the pan—raw garlic has a sharper kick. The sesame seeds and peppercorns add layers of flavor. - Toss Everything Together
Pour the sizzling garlic oil and the prepared dressing into the bowl with the mushrooms. Add the remaining half of the raw minced garlic and the chopped cilantro. Add your preferred vegetable shreds if using. Toss with your hands or chopsticks from the bottom up, ensuring every mushroom is coated in the dressing. ⚠️ Tip: Keep half the garlic raw for the final toss—the combination of cooked garlic aroma and raw garlic heat gives the cold dish its soul. Toss from the bottom up to coat everything evenly without crushing the mushrooms and releasing water. (If using carrot shreds, blanch them for 10 seconds or salt them for 5 minutes before tossing.) - Garnish and Serve
Plate the dish and sprinkle with white sesame seeds. You can eat it immediately or refrigerate it for 10 minutes for a crisper, more flavorful bite. ⚠️ Tip: Chilling for 10 minutes makes it crisper, but don’t leave it for more than 30 minutes, or it will release water and lose its crunch.
💡 Tips:
Soak the wood ear mushrooms in cold water for 1–2 hours (never more than 4 hours or overnight), and tear them into bite-sized pieces. Blanch them for 1.5–2 minutes after the water boils, then plunge them into ice water until completely cold and bouncy. Drain and pat them dry so the salad doesn’t get watery. Mix the dressing in advance and taste it—add more sugar if it’s too sour, and hold off on the salt. Pour hot oil over half the garlic and keep the other half raw to build layers of flavor. Add a few peppercorns and sesame seeds to the hot oil for extra aroma. Toss from the bottom up, refrigerate for 10 minutes for the best crunch (no more than 30 minutes), and garnish with sesame seeds. Done this way, it’s tangy, spicy, crunchy, and refreshing—a perfect appetizer ready in five minutes!
This Cold Tossed Wood Ear Mushrooms is tangy, spicy, and refreshing—perfect for cutting through rich meals. If you like this refreshing cold-tossed style, you can also try my previously posted Smashed Cucumber Salad (Smashed Cucumber Salad). For more appetizing cold dishes, check out my Cold Dishes (Cold Dishes) category!
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