Wood Ear / Cloud Ear (Black Fungus)
What it is
A thin, ear- or cloud-shaped jelly fungus, dark brown to black, with a gelatinous-yet-crunchy texture. Wood ear (Auricularia species; Chinese mù ěr, "wood ear") is thicker and larger; cloud ear (yún ěr) is thinner, smaller, and more delicate — the two names are often used interchangeably. Almost always sold dried, expanding dramatically when soaked. (Cross-referenced from Specialty Vegetables, where it often appears.)
How it's made
Cultivated widely (especially in China) on logs or sawdust, then dried into brittle, shriveled black flakes. Before use it's rehydrated in warm water, where it swells to several times its size and regains its springy, crunchy body; tough stem nubs are trimmed away.
Flavor profile
Almost flavorless on its own — the entire point is texture: a signature slippery-yet-crunchy, gelatinous snap that adds contrast and body. It absorbs the surrounding seasonings.
Culinary uses
A texture workhorse across Chinese cooking: shredded into hot-and-sour soup, mu shu pork, stir-fries, and cold dressed salads (the popular cold black-fungus salad with vinegar, chili, and garlic); used in Korean japchae and dumpling fillings; valued in vegetarian and Buddhist temple cooking for its meaty bite. It needs only brief cooking once rehydrated. Important food-safety note: rehydrating dried wood ear for many hours at room temperature has been linked to a dangerous bacterial toxin (from Bacillus-type contamination) — it should be soaked in the refrigerator or for a limited time and not left soaking at room temperature overnight.
Regional variations
Central to Chinese (Sichuan cold salads, northern mu shu), Korean, and broader East/Southeast Asian cooking. Cloud ear's finer texture is preferred where delicacy matters; wood ear's heartier body suits braises and soups.
Cultural & historical context
One of the oldest cultivated mushrooms in China, with a documented history stretching back well over a millennium, wood ear is prized in both everyday and temple cuisine and in traditional tonics for its supposed blood-and-circulation benefits.
Reference notes
- Tags: `fungus`, `cultivated`, `dried`, `texture`, `crunchy`, `chinese`, `korean`, `vegetarian`, `food-safety-note`
- Related ingredients: rice vinegar, chili oil, garlic, scallion, soy sauce
- Related cuisines: Chinese (Sichuan, northern), Korean
- Suggested links: [Snow Fungus / Tremella], [Lily Buds (Golden Needles)], [Daikon]