What is black fungus?
Shane asked what is black fungus when I told him I was going to cook it with chicken and crispy ginger. He looked at me skeptical, unconvinced it is tasty at all! Cooking fungus sounds scary, much less eating it! It doesn’t sound strange to me because my mom used to add black fungus in her dishes. So what is black fungus? It is an edible wild mushroom also known as cloud ear fungus or elephant ear mushrooms given its dark, ear-like shape. It is commercially cultivated for food in China and used in many Chinese dishes and in traditional Chinese medicine. Known for its jelly-like, chewy consistency, black fungus is a popular culinary ingredient in many Chinese kitchens across the world.
How Do I Prepare Black Fungus for Cooking?
Black fungus is available in fresh or dried form in most regions of Asia. Here in the US, you can get the dried form in Asian grocery stores. How to prepare black fungus for cooking? Boil a small pot of water. Grab a handful of dried black fungus and let it soak in the hot water (covered) for an hour. Dried black fungus will expand 3-4 times its size when rehydrated. Use sparingly if you are unsure. I can’t convince Shane that it is neutral tasting and absorbs the flavors of the dish its cooked in. He has no problem eating when I included it into my wanton or gyoza fillings. Sheesh!! Drain and rinse black fungus thoroughly in water a few times when it is soft. Some comes in clumps so remove the joint (stem) and cut into bite size pieces.
Ginger
Ginger is the main flavor of this dish. Dishes cooked with ginger are considered nutritional, especially in Chinese kitchens. The health benefits have been proven by scientific research. Look for mature ginger root to get the best intense flavor. I used about 2 inches of ginger for this dish. You can add more if you like. Cut into small strips and fry in a mixture of vegetable and sesame seeds oils.
Chicken with Crispy Ginger and Black Fungus
This dish sounds complicated, but it isn’t. The preparation time is really quick once you have soaked and marinated the chicken pieces. Chinese rice wine enhances the taste and compliments the flavor of ginger. You can substitute Chinese rice wine with dry sherry or omit it altogether. Go for fresh shitake or button mushrooms if you are unsure about using black fungus. I do not use sweet dark soy sauce and oyster sauce. You could add them for a more authentic taste. This dish is best eaten with white steamed rice.
Ingredients for This Recipe:
The ingredients for this recipe are fairly easy to get. You can add oyster sauce and sweet dark soy sauce to this list and omit some if you don’t have them. The measurements are used only as a guide. The main ingredient for this dish is really the ginger.
- 2 pieces of chicken breast, cubed or sliced thinly
- 8 pieces of black fungus mushrooms, soaked in hot water until soft (approximately 1 hour)
- 2 inches matured ginger, skinned and julienned
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 3 teaspoons cornstarch
- 2 tablespoons soy sauce
- 3 tablespoons Chinese rice wine
- 2 stalks spring onion (scallion), cut into 1.5 inches long
- 2 tablespoons sesame oil
- 3 tablespoons vegetable oil
- 1 cup water
- Salt and pepper to taste
Step by Step Preparation:
- Marinade chicken with 1 tablespoon of soy sauce, 1 tablespoon of Chinese rice wine, salt and pepper to taste, a dash of sesame oil and 1 teaspoon of cornstarch. Add a little water and mix well. Set aside for 20 minutes.
- Heat up vegetable oil and sesame oil in a pan. Stir fry ginger until crispy. Remove and set aside.
- Add minced garlic into the seasoned oil. Stir and fry until they turned slightly brown.
- Pour the chicken cubes into the pan and stir well for 2 minutes over medium high heat.
- Add black fungus mushrooms, soy sauce, salt, and pepper to taste and 1 cup of water. Stir well and simmer for 5 minutes.
- Mix 2 teaspoons of cornstarch with 2 tablespoons of water. Remove lid of pan, add Chinese wine, and pour in the cornstarch mixture. Mix well. The sauce will thicken.
- Turn off heat. Add spring onion and give it a few stir.
- Dish into a bowl and top with crispy fried ginger.
Give this recipe a try. For more recipes, head to the Food section of my website.