Only a few years ago, we went back to my hometown in China to see my parents, my dad ordered this once in a restaurant. I totally fell in love with it.
It is traditionally prepared only with Chinese black fungus and cucumber. But, one day, I had some fried peanuts left, and I was just looking for a way to finish them off. So, I put the peanuts into the dish, and it worked, and it combines so well with ‘old vinegar’. So I started adding peanuts in. However, the peanuts are totally optional.
About Black Fungus
There is a lot to say about this ‘Black fungus’. It is a kind of Chinese mushroom, the most famous one is from the mountains called ‘Da Xing An Ling’ crossing the whole three Northeast provinces.
In UK, you can find them in most Chinese supermarkets, and sometime also in the ‘foreign food’ sections of regular supermarkets. However, the one that you can find in the ‘foreign food’ section of standard supermarkets often comes from Japan, it is sold in a little glass jar containing only a few pieces, and it is quite expensive. I honestly cannot tell the difference with the ones we have in Northeast, so it is probably better to buy them in a Chinese supermarket (and if they are produced in Northeast, even better).
It is sold dry, and needs to be soaked before cooking it. The black fungus will double or triple its size after soaking. So, every time I go back home, I always carry lots of them back, they can last forever.
Black fungus in Chinese are called ‘Mu Er’, which literally means ‘the ear lobe of the wood’. It normally can be cooked in soup, stir fried, or in salad. It is extremely nutritious and healthy: it helps with iron intake and blood pressure. And in this dish, adding up the peanut (with niacin, fiber, vitamin E…) and old vinegar (helping digestion and blood circulation, anti-aging..etc), it cannot be healthier.
Ingredients
Preparation
Cooking
If you like, you can also put in ‘minced’ garlic and chopped spring onion, and a few drops of chili oil.
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