Wood Ear Mushroom Salad (凉拌木耳)

4 standard portions

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Ingredients

• 0.5 oz dried wood ear mushrooms ((yield 2 cups once rehydrated))
• 2 cloves garlic (, grated)
• 1 fresno pepper (, sliced (or other chili pepper of your choice) (Optional))
• 1 tablespoon light soy sauce
• 1 tablespoon Chinkiang vinegar
• 1 teaspoon sugar
• 1/8 teaspoon salt
• 1 tablespoon peanut oil ((or vegetable oil))
• 1 teaspoon Sichuan peppercorn
• 1/4 cup cilantro (, coarsely chopped, for garnish (Optional))

Method

1. Combine wood ear mushrooms with 3 cups of warm water in a large bowl. Rehydrate until they soften, 20 minutes or so. Gently rinse the mushrooms with tap water. Remove the tough ends from the mushrooms and tear them into small bite-size pieces.
2. Bring a pot of water to a boil. Add wood ear mushrooms and cook for 3 to 4 minutes, until turning tender. Drain, rinse the mushrooms with cold water, drain again, and place into a medium bowl. Add the chili pepper (if using).
3. Combine garlic, light soy sauce, black rice vinegar, sugar, and salt in a small bowl. Stir to mix well.
4. Heat peanut oil in a small skillet until warm. Add Sichuan peppercorn. Cook until you can smell a strong fragrance, 2 to 3 minutes. Turn off the heat. Remove and discard all the peppercorns with a slotted spoon. Immediately and carefully pour the hot oil into the small bowl with the soy sauce based mixture. Mix well.
5. Combine the sauce and wood ear mushrooms in a bowl, toss a few times.
6. Garnish with cilantro and serve as a cold appetizer.