Cooking Lab - Black Woodear Mushroom w Fried Fish Cakes

Doesn't the name Cloud Ear Mushroom/Fungus sounds exotic? 

It is highly nutritious and contains rich dietary fibers. It reduces cholesterol and it is a healthy-alternative diet food. 

Cloud ear mushroom has no real flavour on its own but soaks in the flavors that it is cooked with. 

(c) GMV - Got My Vote!

It is mostly sold in dried-form in Australia. Look for it in the dry good section in any leading Asian supermarkets. 

Ingredients:

- 300g dry cloud ear mushroom/fungus 
- 200g Korean fried fish cakes 
- 100g fresh ginger 
- 3 cloves galic 
- 2 tablespoon soy sauce 
- 2 teaspoon black rice vinegar 
- 1 teaspoon cooking wine 
- 1 teaspoon sugar 
- 2 small red chili 
- Salt and pepper to season 

Instructions:

1. Before cooking, rehydrate the cloud ears in warm water for 15-30 minutes. They will puff up to several times their normal size. Rinse several times. The cloud ears should feel soft and slippery.

2.Pat dry with paper towel.

3.Heat oil in a hot pan, add in garlic, ginger and red chili. Stir fry for 30 seconds until fragrant.

4. Add the cloud ear mushroom to the hot pan.

5. Add soy sauce, sugar and a dash of cooking wine.

6. Let the cloud ear mushroom absorb the sauce.

7. In the final minute, add a dash of black rice vinegar before removing from heat.

8. Warm up the Korean fried fish cakes on grills or in the oven.

9. Slice the fish cakes diagonally.

10.Plate cloud ears and fried fish cakes on 4 serving plates.

(Vegetarian alternative: omit the fish cakes.)

12. Garnish with fresh red chili on top.

13. Serve warm.

Note: the black rice vinegar is highly critical in this dish and it will intensify the flavour of this vegetarian dish. 

The texture of cloud ears is soft and smooth. 
A highly delicious vegetarian dish.