Wood Ear Mushroom & Cucumber Salad with Sesame Sauce, Fresh and Crunchy Bandung-Style
🧂 Ingredients
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- 150 grams fresh wood ear mushrooms
- 2 cucumbers
- 1 carrot
- 100 grams bean sprouts
- 3 sprigs cilantro leaves
- 2 cloves garlic
- 2 red bird's eye chilies
- 2 tbsp sesame oil
- 2 tbsp soy sauce
- 1.5 tbsp apple cider vinegar
- 1 tbsp granulated sugar
- 1 tbsp toasted sesame seeds
- 0.5 tsp salt
- 2 tbsp boiled water
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👩🍳 Instructions
- 1 Soak dried wood ear mushrooms (if using dried ones) in hot water for 20 minutes until they expand, then drain. If using fresh wood ear mushrooms, simply wash them clean.
- 2 Boil the wood ear mushrooms in boiling water for 3-5 minutes to remove the natural sliminess and give them a chewier texture, then drain and slice thinly lengthwise.
- 3 Wash the cucumbers and carrot, peel the carrot, then cut both into thin matchsticks (julienne) so they mix easily with the other ingredients.
- 4 Blanch the bean sprouts briefly for 30 seconds in boiling water, then immediately dunk them in ice water to keep them crunchy, then drain.
- 5 Finely chop the garlic and chilies, and set aside for the sauce mixture.
- 6 Make the sesame sauce: combine the sesame oil, soy sauce, apple cider vinegar, sugar, salt, boiled water, chopped garlic, and chilies in a small bowl, then stir until the sugar dissolves.
- 7 In a large bowl, combine the prepared wood ear mushrooms, cucumbers, carrot, and bean sprouts.
- 8 Pour the sesame sauce over the vegetable mixture, then toss well with your hands or a spoon so all the ingredients are evenly coated in sauce.
- 9 Let the salad sit for 10 minutes at room temperature so the seasoning soaks fully into the vegetables and mushrooms.
- 10 Serve the salad on a serving plate, sprinkled with toasted sesame seeds and fresh cilantro leaves as garnish before serving.
💡 Tips
• Choose wood ear mushrooms that are still fresh and firm, avoiding ones that are overly slimy or have a sour smell, as that's a sign they're no longer fresh.
• Don't boil the wood ear mushrooms too long so they stay chewy and don't turn mushy — just 3-5 minutes is enough.
• For a more savory flavor, add a bit of chili oil or a sprinkle of fried shallots on top before serving.
• This salad can be stored in the fridge for up to 1 day, but it's best to mix in the sauce right before serving so the vegetables stay crunchy.
📊 Nutrition Facts / serving
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