Black Fungus With Cucumber Salad: Elevate Your Salad Game

What’s good to cook in summer?​ It’s too hot to sit anywhere at home with sweating and sweating feeling. It’s even more difficult to cook in the kitchen. But people take food as heaven. If they don’t eat a meal, they will be hungry. When they are hungry,  cooking will be based on the premise of simplicity and speed, and cook quickly. Just open the fire as little as possible to cook meals.

So I think a variety of cold dishes which are quick-fried are the first choice for summer cooking. In summer, all kinds of melons and fruits are particularly rich, such as cucumbers. Toady I want to make a black fungus with cucumber salad which is very delicious when we eat it in summer.

Cucumbers can be eaten raw or fried, and the cold salad is no longer a problem.  It can also be said to be the local summer dishes, which are crunchy. It is tender and juicy, because it has the effects of clearing heat, quenching thirst, clearing fire and detoxification, and relieving heat.

Summer is hot, and people are prone to sweating and thirst more easily. Eating cucumbers often has many benefits. There are many ways to eat it. In addition to eating raw, it can also be made into vegetarian dishes, meat dishes, soups, etc. Our children especially like cucumber fried pork slices. They are now on summer vacation, staying at home every day. If you like more cucumber recipes, you can try our popular one.

In the past, my grandmother also asked my mother to add a little more water when she was frying. She wanted to use the vegetable soup to eat bibimbap, but the elves preferred to eat cucumber raw. ​I especially like to eat and put in the refrigerator to refrigerate for a while. Wash it clean without peeling and eat it directly. But the dish the elf is going to introduce today is cucumber and black fungus(It is called wood ear mushroom sometimes).

As we all know, wood ear mushroom is a good ingredient. It can clean up the intestinal master at our body. Wood ear mushroom also contains a lot of calcium, iron, and phosphorus. It has the effects of nourishing qi and nourishing blood, lowering blood pressure and anti-cancer, moisturizing the lungs, etc.​

Among the wood ear mushrooms, the piece of ear has the best quality. Although its price is more expensive than the average, it has a very high foaming rate, and it can make a lot of bubbles in a small amount. There is no shortage of stocks throughout the year. Cucumber mixed with wood ear mushroom, a common dish on our table, is crisp and refreshing, sour and appetizing, not to mention more meals, eat more dishes that will not get fat and long meat, you are worth trying.

What is a cucumber?

Cucumbers are a versatile moisturizing vegetable that forms the basis of our salads. High in water content and low in calories, cucumbers are a great addition to any diet. They are a good source of vitamins and minerals, including vitamin K, vitamin C, and potassium. In addition, cucumbers contain antioxidants that help fight inflammation and oxidative stress in the body, contributing to overall health.

What is a wood ear mushroom(black fungus)?

Wood ear mushroom, also known as black fungus or cloud ear, is a staple of Asian cuisine. Despite their delicate, almost translucent appearance, these mushrooms are packed with nutrients. They are rich in iron, which is necessary for oxygen transport in the blood, and they are a source of iron for vegetarians. Mushrooms are also a good source of fiber, which AIDS digestion, and they contain valuable antioxidants that support immune health.

 

What is the historical significance and innovation of wood ear mushroom with cucumber?

Cucumber black fungus salad is of great cultural significance in various Asian cuisines. In Chinese cuisine, wood ear fungus is considered similar to the human ear and is often associated with its origin story. This salad showcases the Asian culinary tradition’s ability to harmoniously combine different textures and flavors. It’s also a testament to how food can connect people to their heritage and the stories of their ancestors.

What is the nutritional value of black fungus with cucumber？

Cucumber and wood ear mushrooms both provide a wealth of nutrients to the salad. Cucumbers are low in calories and high in vitamins, especially vitamin K and vitamin C, as well as minerals such as potassium and magnesium.

They are also known for their high water content, which is AIDS in hydration and digestion. Fungus, on the other hand, is a source of dietary fiber and essential minerals such as iron and zinc. It is believed to have potential health benefits, including immune system support and anti-inflammatory properties.

How to make wood ear mushroom with cucumber？

I bet you want to make mushrooms with cucumber. Now I’ll tell you how it’s done. Making a successful cucumber fungus salad requires some cooking chemistry. Texture and taste need to complement each other to make a satisfying dish. The crispness of the cucumber contrasts with the soft, gelatinous texture of the hydrated fungus. The neutral and slightly sweet flavor of cucumbers harmonizes with the earthy, umami flavor of mushrooms, creating a pleasant balance.

Step1

Let’s start with a couple of cucumbers. If the end of the cucumber is swollen, don’t use that one. Because a cucumber with a swollen tail (the flowering end) is evidence of water accumulating downward. The seeds also gather in the lower part, they tend to form cavities and lack water. So pick one that has the same size head and tail. Choose more thorns, sharp, on behalf of the cucumber, very fresh, green rich, and shiny, and both ends have a certain hardness, behalf of the cucumber.

The selection of black fungus should pay attention to the following points. First of all, high-quality dry fungus as a whole black, and shiny. The back of the ear slightly dull gray luster, uniform color. If the fungus is gray and has white attachments, most of this kind of fungus is adulterated. Tthe second is the appearance, the wood ear is large and moderate, the back of the ear is slightly extended, and the integrity without defect is high-quality wood ear. If the flower is slightly small, the back of the ear is slightly curly, and the whole fungus is incomplete and accompanied by a few impurities, it is not a high-quality fungus.

Or you can pinch and smell with your hands. The water content of high-quality auriculus is required to be below 11%. Take a small amount of auriculus sample, crush it with your hand, and the piece can have good elasticity and extensibility after release, indicating that the water content is low and it is high-quality auriculus.​ High-quality fungus has a light taste of wood. If there is a pungent smell on the fungus, it may be processed by additives.

Step2

Put the fungus in the basin with cold water soaking, and the fungus in the dirty things bubbles out. After five minutes, the fungus out, clean with water.

Step3

If you like to peel the cucumber with a paring knife, don’t do it more. I am better at peeling, so I went to peel the cucumber but keep a little skin. After peeling the skin, you can use a knife to cut the cucumber into sections.

Step4

Wash the cucumbers, put them in a bowl. Sprinkle with MSG to season them. Stir well and marinate for five minutes. And then taste whether they taste good at your fla.

Step5

Let’s prepare some green onions, millet pepper and garlic. Wash the fragrant rice and millet respectively and put them in the bowl. Cut the scallions into sections and add them to the bowl. Chop garlic into a powder with a knife. Place in a bowl and set aside.

Step6

Take out a pot of boiling water, fill it with two-thirds of the water, cover it. Put the pot on the heat, and turn on the heat to boil the water. When the water is fully boiled, remove the lid and add a good amount of salt to the water.

Step7

At this point, put the washed black fungus into the pot and soak it for 30 seconds. Remember to stir with chopsticks or a spoon, otherwise, the black fungus may stick together. After 30 seconds, close the lid, leave a little bit open, and brush the water.

Step8

Wash the pot, add water to the pot, boil the water, and when the water boils, put the blanched black fungus into the pot, and cook the fungus. In the process of the living wood ear, you will smell a light wood smell, quite fresh. When the fungus is cooked, remove it through a sieve and place it in a bowl. Set aside.

Step9

Let’s slice the cucumber with the skin off, put the cucumber on the cutting board. Angle the knife, and slowly use the knife to cut the cucumber into pieces. Then put the cucumber in the bowl.

Step10

Add the cooked black fungus to the cucumber bowl. But cucumbers must not be left for too long, they will hydrate, and hydrated cucumbers will lose their chewy texture. So fresh cucumbers are important. Balancing the texture of crunchy cucumber and chewy wood fungus is key to creating a satisfying texture.

Step11

We’ve mixed the cucumber and the fungus. Now we’re going to add the other seasonings one by one into the cucumber and fungus bowl. Mix it up and you have a delicious cucumber and fungus mix.

Step12

We mix cucumber and fungus with garlic, onion and other seasoning ingredients. If you like spicy food, you can add hot sauce, but don’t add too much. About two tablespoons is good. If you can’t eat spicy, add soy sauce, This sauce is very popular in China, and it is very delicious. I believe you will love the sauce.

Step13

Mixed cucumber and fungus. If you want cucumber mixed black fungus more fragrant, more flavorful, then add parsley and green onions. Give it a good stir.

Step14

And a handful of white sesame seeds, these white sesame seeds don’t have any flavor. So why add it? The answer is very simple, the white sesame seeds are used to embellish, to make our cucumber-mixed black fungus icing.

Step15

When it’s finally done, we’re going to give it a good stir, making sure you get the seasoning in every corner. Then our cucumber with black fungus is finished, and let it sit for ten minutes, ready to eat. But I suggest you keep it in the fridge because it tastes better. When you put cucumber mixed with black fungus, its fragrance wafts through the whole room, even the children next door will come to want to share your delicious food.

 

Not only does this cucumber fungus salad stimulate the taste buds, but it also has health benefits. Cucumbers provide water and essential nutrients, while fungus mushrooms provide iron, fiber, and antioxidants. This dish can be enjoyed as an appetizer, a refreshing side dish, or even as a stand-alone snack.

Exploring the world of cucumber and fungus salad is not only an enjoyable culinary experience but also a journey through history, culture and innovation. This deceptively simple dish combines ingredients from two different sources and culinary roles to create a harmonious and delicious whole.

Whether for its nutritional value, cultural significance or creative potential, cucumber and fungus salad invites us to appreciate the beauty of simplicity and the infinite possibilities of the culinary world. So, the next time you’re in the kitchen, consider embarking on your journey of flavor and texture by making your delicate salad.