Recipe: Crunchy Black Fungus & Cucumber Salad
This salad is an invitation for those who love to play with mouthfeel. Have you ever thought about all the different kinds of crunchy or is it a niche affliction that keeps only me awake at night 😆? There’s mouth–hurting crunchy (crisps), brittle crunchy (boiled sweets), crunchy on the outside fluffy on the inside (triple cooked chips, freshly baked baguettes), watery crunchy (grapes, cherry tomatoes), and in my opinion: perfect crunchy (gherkins).
You may have come across this salad as a cold side dish or appetiser in Chinese restaurants. Black fungus can be a bit slimy for some people, but they are generally won over by its texture when prepared this way. It’s not gelatinous at all; it should be like a squeaky, rubbery crunch. Paired with the watery crunch of the cucumber, it’s overall a delightful play on texture in the mouth.
A Sichuan style recipe would prepare this with a ‘ma la’ dressing of mouth numbing Sichuan peppercorns and chillies. Other versions might keep it simple with a combination of sesame oil, vinegar and soy sauce. I’m not a purist about so–called authenticity. I simply want to show you the beauty of these vegetables and how easy it is to incorporate them into a vegan or plant–based diet. I believe that we can and should seek to improve our bodies and minds by learning to eat well. And the only way to do that is to explore flavours and textures, practice cooking and have some fun along the way!
So if you want to serve this with a different salad dressing, go for it! How about lemon juice, olive oil and Balsamic vinegar? Or whipping a tablespoon of tahini or peanut butter with soy sauce to make a creamy dressing? Or a coriander and bird’s eye chilli dipping sauce for spice–inclined… the options are endless. You could also experiment with bulking the salad out with any of the following: firm tofu, steamed baby potatoes, chopped bell peppers, shredded carrots, al dente green beans or raw radishes.
I only insist on one thing, which is that the salad must be served cold in order to maintain the fresh crunchiness of the ingredients. Because that’s what this is all about!
Let me know if you try this recipe and share your results on Instagram with #CelestialPeach.
Ingredients (serves 4)
1/2 cup dried black fungus
1/2 large cucumber
2 cloves of garlic, smashed and minced
2 tablespoons of my umami dressing (recipe here), or your own salad dressing
1 mild red chilli, thinly sliced
2 tsps white sesame seeds (optional)
Few sprigs of coriander
Instructions
Rehydrate the black fungus in a large bowl of water for at least 30 minutes.
Drain and trim the hard stem off the base of each fungus.
Steamed or blanche the fungus for 3 minutes.
Run under cold water and plunge in a bowl of ice if you are intending to serve immediately. This will help to maintain its crunchiness.
Roughly chop the cucumber into bite size pieces.
Mix the fungus, cucumber, garlic and chilli with the dressing.
Garnish with sesame seeds and coriander and serve immediately, or chill in the fridge for later.
