A Dried Mushroom - Wood Ear Enhances Many Culinary Dishes

A Dried mushroom called Wood Ear, is a popular herb in the culinary world. The Wood Ear is a member of the jelly fungus mushroom family. This mushroom fungus is native to a lot of Asian countries, especially China and Thailand. It is also grown in some Pacific Islands, Europe, and the Pacific Northwest of the United States. This mushroom fungus has been native for years in China. The Wood Ear name was derived by the resemblance of the shape of an ear and the clumps of mushrooms growing on the trees. Oak is one of the most common trees you can find the wood ear attached. Firs, Elder, Poplar, and the and the banyan tree will also have this mushroom growing on their trunks.

The Wood Ear needs a a warm, moist and high humidity environment to mature on many of these broad leaf varieties. In Thailand during the rainy season, the volume is high in markets for the Wood Ear, either fresh or dried. The prices are lower during the monsoon season.

The fresh Wood Ears vary in size on these trees and have different shapes of caps and stalks. Their texture is can resemble a sticky or gooey feel and this mushroom can be brown in color or a see through look. The surface can be smooth or bumpy. Fresh ears are about four to six times bigger than when the mushroom is dried. The fresh also weigh about eight to ten times more than the dried. Chefs that can find them fresh will use them raw, as the mushroom gives off a woodsy flavor.

Wood Ear

Above is a photo of dried wood ear. This is one way they look in markets that sell the wood ear mushrooms. Their texture is brittle and you can tell they have gone through the hydration process. There is a simple method to re-hydrating them for a variety of culinary dishes. You can put them in hot water and soak them for a half an hour to an hour. Put them in a coffee filter and strain the mushrooms. Save the juice for cooking. Pour the mushrooms back into strainer and wash again and pat them with a paper towel. Some gourmet chefs like to bring the mushrooms to a boil, remove and let sit for an hour. This is a good idea if you want to add the wood ear to a dish that is almost done. Popular dishes to add this mushroom are stir fries, soups, and stuffings. A nice touch is to add the dried mushrooms with pine nuts, some fresh basil and chives to a chicken, vegetable or other meat stir fry. The combined ingredients create a unique and wonderful flavor for you favorite stir fry. There are many wonderful recipes today using the wood ear mushroom. Do you have a favorite recipe you would like to share? Feel free to share and teach others the wonderful different possibilities using this jelly fungus. Great with shrimp, clam chowder, and crab. At the end of this article, there is a place you can give a little bit of your kitchen or restaurant to people around the world. I will also put these recipes in the learning center section for students, teaches and families. Your recipes are a wonderful way of educating everyone about this particular herb.

The Wood Ear mushroom also has many health benefits. This fungi is known to help in possibly preventing strokes, blood clots, heart attacks and blood vessel diseases. Wood Ears have protein, calcium, iron and have almost no fat. Always check with a professional about what is best for your own personal health. The Wood Ear Mushroom whether fresh or dried, creates a unique texture in a variety of different culinary dishes. We look forward to seeing some recipes from you.