Okay, so the other day I was messing around in the kitchen, trying to come up with something new to eat. I’d been seeing these “horse ear fungus” things pop up on my social media feeds, and I was like, “What the heck is that?” Turns out, it’s just a type of wood ear mushroom, but with a cooler name. I’m all about trying weird foods, so I decided to give it a shot.
Finding the Fungus
First things first, I needed to find these things. I went down to my local Asian grocery store – you know, the one with all the stuff you can’t pronounce? I wandered around the dried goods section for a bit, feeling totally lost. Finally, I spotted a package labeled “Dried Black Fungus.” I figured that had to be it, right?
The Soak and Prep
Back home, I dumped the dried fungus into a bowl. They looked like little shriveled-up… well, ears. I covered them with warm water and let them soak. The package said 30 minutes, but I got distracted watching cat videos and probably left them in for like an hour. Oops.
- Step 1: Find the fungus. (Asian grocery store is your best bet!)
- Step 2: Soak in warm water until they’re all plumped up.
- Step3:Clean the fungus.
After their bath, I pulled them out. They were all big and floppy now! The package also mentioned rinsing them really well, so I did that under the tap. Seemed important. I picked off any weird-looking bits, just in case. Because, I don’t know really well about it, I just do it.
Cooking Time!
I decided to keep it simple and stir-fry these bad boys. I heated up some oil in my wok (gotta have a wok!), tossed in some garlic and ginger. Then, I added the horse ear fungus and stir-fried them for a few minutes. I threw in a splash of soy sauce, a little bit of sugar.I gave it a good mix.
The Taste Test
Honestly, they didn’t have a super strong flavor on their own. It’s more about the texture – kind of chewy and a little bit crunchy. They soaked up the sauce nicely, though. I mixed them with some rice and veggies, and it was a pretty good meal!
So, yeah, that’s my horse ear fungus adventure. Would I make it again? Sure, why not! It was easy, and I felt like a culinary explorer. If you’re looking for something a little different to try, give it a shot. Just don’t forget to rinse them!
