Fish-Fragrant King Oyster Mushroom is a classic Sichuan-style dish. The mushroom strips are tender and bouncy, coated in a sweet, sour, and spicy “fish-fragrant” sauce. With wood ear mushrooms and shredded carrot, it’s a perfect match for steamed rice.
🌴 Ingredients:
· 3-4 king oyster mushrooms (shredded)
· A few wood ear mushrooms (soaked and shredded)
· 1/2 carrot (shredded)
· 1 green bell pepper (shredded, for color)
· 1 egg (use egg white only, for marinating)
🌴 Aromatics:
· 4-5 cloves minced garlic
· A small piece of minced ginger
· 1 scallion (chopped)
· 2-3 pickled chili peppers (chopped, the soul of the dish)
🌴 Seasonings:
· 2 tbsp light soy sauce (about 20ml)
· 2 tbsp Chinkiang vinegar (about 20ml)
· 1 tbsp sugar (about 15g, key for the sweet and sour taste)
· 1/2 tbsp oyster sauce (about 5ml)
· 1 tsp cornstarch (about 5g, for thickening)
· 1 tbsp cooking wine (about 10ml, for marinating)
· Salt, to taste
· Cooking oil, as needed
🌴 Instructions:
- Marinate the Mushrooms
Wash the mushrooms and cut them into 5mm thick strips. Marinate with cooking wine, a pinch of salt, and half an egg white for 10 minutes. ⚠️ Note: The egg white keeps them tender and prevents them from breaking during stir-frying. I’ve tried cooking them without marinating, and they released water and turned soggy. - Prepare the Vegetables
Shred the soaked wood ear mushrooms, carrot, and green bell pepper into thin, even strips. ⚠️ Note: Cut all the vegetables into similar-sized strips for a consistent texture. - Make the Fish-Fragrant Sauce
In a small bowl, mix the light soy sauce, vinegar, sugar, oyster sauce, cornstarch, and salt. ⚠️ Note: The ratio of vinegar to sugar is key. I’ve tried using less sugar before, and the flavor wasn’t right. - Stir-fry the Mushrooms
Heat oil in the pan, add the marinated mushroom strips, and stir-fry over high heat for 1-2 minutes until softened and slightly golden. Set aside. ⚠️ Note: Don’t overcook them, as they will release water and become soggy. - Sauté the Aromatics
Add the minced ginger, garlic, scallion, and pickled chili peppers to the pan. Stir-fry over low heat until fragrant and the oil turns red. ⚠️ Note: Don’t skip the pickled chili peppers; they are the soul of this dish. - Stir-fry the Vegetables
Turn to high heat, add the carrot and wood ear mushrooms, and stir-fry for 1 minute. Add the mushrooms and green bell pepper, and stir-fry for another 30 seconds. ⚠️ Note: Keep the heat high to keep them crisp. - Add the Sauce
Stir the sauce well again (to prevent the cornstarch from settling), pour it into the pan in a circle, and stir-fry quickly until the sauce thickens and coats the ingredients. ⚠️ Note: Always stir the sauce before pouring it in, or it will form lumps. - Season and Serve
Sprinkle with white pepper and scallion. Turn off the heat and serve hot. ⚠️ Note: Taste before adding salt, as the pickled chilies and soy sauce are already salty.
💡 More Flavorful Recipes:
If you enjoy this sweet and spicy fish-fragrant flavor, you should also try my [Dry-fried King Oyster Mushroom Strips] for a different, savory way to cook mushrooms.
Want to explore more? Check out my full [Home-style Dishes] category!
💡 Tips:
Cut the mushrooms into 5mm strips and marinate with egg white. The ratio of vinegar to sugar is key. Don’t skip the pickled chilies. Stir the sauce well before pouring. Stir-fry over high heat. Taste before adding salt.
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