Preparing Wood Ears

Also known as cloud ears, wood ears are an Asian fungus, commonly sold in dried form. Like dried mushrooms below, they must be reconstituted before use, when they swell into clusters of dark gelatinous lobes up to five times their dried size. They are used in stir-fries, soups and braised dishes.

Soak wood ears as for dried mushrooms below, then rinse thoroughly under cold running water to rid them of sand and grit lodged in the crevices. Dry thoroughly with a tea towel before use and trim off and discard the hard central stalks. Slice or chop wood ears according to individual recipe instructions.