Wood Ear Mushrooms 4 oz.

Dried Wood Ear Mushrooms, also known as black mushrooms, have a subtitle woodsy flavor and aroma and they mostly are used for color and their texture which is unusual, but pleasant. Dried Wood Ear mushrooms are a very versatile mushroom because of their mild flavor and pleasant texture. These mushrooms can be eaten raw, blanched, boiled or even fried.

Wood Ear mushrooms are a favorite addition to Asian cuisine, often combined with meat dishes, in stir-fry and soups such as the prevalent Chinese sweet and sour soup. This relatively flat mushroom is usually sliced in thin strips and added towards the end of the cooking process.

Wood Ear mushrooms contain protein, including eight kinds of amino acids, carbohydrates, calcium, potassium, and iron. Dried the mushrooms have the same percentage of protein as meat and are low in fat.

Cooking Ideas

You can lightly sauté reconstituted wood ear mushrooms (and possibly shallots) in butter until tender, or for approximately four minutes.

Health Benefits

• Wood ear mushrooms are a great source of fiber for digestion.
• Wood ear mushrooms contain a range of micronutrients such as vitamins, minerals and antioxidants.
• The polysaccharides and phenol chemicals in wood ear mushrooms have antioxidant, anticancer, anti-inflammatory and cardioprotective actions, which may help to prevent many types of chronic illness such as cancer and stroke.
• Adenosine which also found on wood ear mushrooms, is a chemical byproduct from cellular metabolism in the body, and effects blood clotting, blood pressure and heart health.

Directions on how to Rehydrate

To rehydrate or reconstitute dried mushrooms, place desired amount into a bowl covered with warm water and let dried mushrooms soak for 30 minutes. After the 30 minutes have gone by, gently lift the mushrooms out of the water using a strainer. The mushrooms should be clean, plumped and ready to use.

How to Store

It is very important that dried mushrooms are stored properly to insure long term and maximum freshness. Place the mushrooms into either a plastic or glass container with a tight fitting lid. Our first recommendation, though, is freezing or storing in a refrigerator or freezer. Place the dried mushrooms in a clean, tight sealing freezer bag. The reason for maximum cold storage is because heat and moisture are the greatest enemies. The mushrooms should keep well for six months to a year.