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Jade Wood Ear Cold Salad

Crisp, refreshing Chinese cold dish — about 75–110 minutes, including rehydrating and resting

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Jade Wood Ear Cold Salad — finished dish

Jade wood ear (玉木耳) is a white variety of wood ear fungus with notably thick, rootless flesh. Fully rehydrate and cook it following the pack before cooling and dressing; a short blanch is not the preparation used here. Dressed simply with garlic, aged black vinegar, soy sauce and sesame oil, this is a light, flavourful cold dish that takes about 75–110 minutes, including rehydrating and resting. Serve as a side with rice, as a summer cold plate, or as a starter before a hot pot or barbecue.

Serves 2–3
Prep Time 25–35 min
Cook Time 40–60 min
Difficulty Easy
Occasion Cold side, summer appetiser
Total time About 75–110 min

Includes rehydrating, cooking and resting after dressing. Allow an extra 20–30 minutes for optional refrigeration. Times are estimates from the steps; make sure the wood ear is fully rehydrated and cooked through.

Jade Wood Ear Cold Salad ingredients — Xianyitang bags and condiments

Ingredients

Main ingredients

  • Xianyitang Dried Jade Wood Ear 20–25 g
  • ½ cucumber, sliced or julienned
  • 1 small bunch fresh coriander, roughly chopped
  • 1–2 fresh bird's eye chillies, sliced into rings (optional)
  • 2–3 garlic cloves, finely minced
  • A few spring onion slices

Dressing

  • 1½ tbsp light soy sauce
  • 1½ tbsp aged black vinegar (Chinkiang)
  • 1 tsp sesame oil
  • ½ tsp sugar
  • A pinch of salt
  • Toasted white sesame seeds to garnish (optional)
  • ½–1 tsp chilli oil (optional)

Use standard measuring spoons: 1 tbsp = 15 ml and 1 tsp = 5 ml. Toast the white sesame seeds before using them as a garnish.

This recipe uses fresh chillies. Xianyitang sells dried chillies for making chilli oil, rather than a direct substitute for fresh chillies. You can omit the fresh chillies and use prepared chilli oil in the quantity listed above.

Method

1

Rehydrate the wood ear

Pick over and rinse 20–25 g dried jade wood ear. Fully submerge in lukewarm drinking water, about 30–40°C, in a roomy bowl for 15–30 minutes until every piece is soft throughout with no hard centre. Discard the soaking water and rinse each lobe again. Check and continue if needed; if a longer soak or a delay is needed, cover and refrigerate at 5°C or below instead of prolonged room-temperature soaking. Rehydration does not replace cooking.

2

Simmer until thoroughly cooked

Cover the rehydrated wood ear completely with fresh drinking water. Bring to the boil and maintain a steady gentle boil for about 40–60 minutes, following the pack, until thoroughly cooked and even the thickest parts are tender to bite. Top up with boiling water if low and do not let the pan boil dry. Continue if any centre is still hard. A brief blanch or the later dressing step cannot replace this cooking stage.

Lifting fully cooked jade wood ear from boiling water with a strainer
3

Chill in cold water

Transfer the thoroughly cooked wood ear into clean cold drinking water, or ice water made from drinking water, to cool promptly, then drain well. Use clean utensils separate from raw-food tools. Dress and serve promptly; cover and refrigerate if waiting.

4

Make the dressing

Combine the minced garlic, fresh chilli rings (if using), soy sauce, black vinegar, sugar, salt, sesame oil and chilli oil (if using) in a small bowl and mix well.

5

Toss and rest

Add the drained wood ear, cucumber, coriander and spring onion to a large bowl. Pour over the dressing and toss well to coat. Leave to rest for 5–10 minutes for the flavours to develop. For a chilled version, refrigerate for 20–30 minutes before serving.

6

Plate and garnish

Transfer to a shallow dish. Scatter toasted sesame seeds and a little fresh coriander on top. Arrange cucumber slices around the edge for colour.

Tips

  • Always rehydrate fully, rinse thoroughly and cook through before eating.
  • Do not leave this cold dish at room temperature for extended periods — serve promptly after dressing.
  • To prepare ahead, fully cook and drain the wood ear in advance and store the dressing separately. Toss together just before serving.
  • Adjust the vinegar and chilli oil to taste — more vinegar for a sharper, more tangy flavour; omit the chilli for a milder version.

Xianyitang Dried Jade Wood Ear 180 g

Thick, rootless flesh that absorbs dressing after full cooking. Also excellent in soups, stir-fries and slow-cooked dishes. Sulphur-free, manufactured under an ISO 9001:2015-certified quality management system.

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Allergens

Contains soya from light soy sauce and sesame from sesame oil and optional sesame seeds. Soy sauce, some black vinegars and chilli oils may also contain wheat or other cereals containing gluten. The jade wood ear pack states that it is packed in a facility also handling peanuts, tree nuts, sesame and soya. Check the actual ingredient labels.

Storage and serving

Cool the thoroughly cooked wood ear promptly in clean drinking water and drain, then refrigerate at 5°C or below within 2 hours of preparation. This recipe recommends eating the dressed salad the same day and within 24 hours if refrigerated. For advance preparation, refrigerate cooked wood ear and dressing separately and add washed cucumber and coriander just before serving. Do not leave the salad at room temperature for a prolonged period.