Wood Ear Seaweed Salad with Sea Beans
Cold seaweed salad combining rehydrated wood ear mushrooms, wakame, and crisp sea beans in a bright dressing of miso, tamari, mirin, citrus, and sesame. The umami-forward base balances sweet soy-soaked mushrooms with tart lime and orange juice, finished with fresh jalapeño heat and toasted sesame seeds.
Ingredients
- 1 -ounce dried wood ear
- ¼ cup sweet soy *see note
- Water
- 1.5-ounce dried wakame seaweed
- ½ - ¾ cup sea beans (chopped)samphire or asparagus tips1:1conf:3
- 2 ½ tablespoons light misowhite miso1:1soy-free alternative
- 2 ½ tablespoons tamari
- 2 ½ tablespoons mirinhoney1:1conf:3Full guide →
- 2 ½ teaspoons rice vinegar
- 1 teaspoon sesame oilneutral oil0.75:1conf:2Full guide →
- ½ cup lime juice
- 3 tablespoons orange juice
- ½ tablespoon roasted white sesame seedsblack sesame seeds1:1conf:4
- 2 or 3 small red jalapenos (thinly slivered)
Instructions
- 1
Rehydrate wood ear mushrooms in sweet soy and warm water for one hour
- 2
Rehydrate seaweed in a separate bowl with water for about 20 minutes
- 3
Combine miso, tamari, mirin, rice vinegar, sesame oil, lime juice, orange juice, sesame seeds, and jalapeños in a bowl to make dressing; add salt if needed
- 4
Cut rehydrated mushrooms into half inch strips and place in a large bowl
- 5
Drain seaweed and slice into bite-sized strips; add to mushroom bowl
- 6
Add sea beans and toss together
- 7
Add dressing just before serving and garnish with extra sesame seeds
Tips
Make sweet soy ahead: combine equal parts soy sauce and brown sugar in small pot over medium-high heat, bring to boil, boil 7 minutes, cool to thicken
Watch sweet soy carefully so it does not boil over
Add dressing immediately before serving to keep vegetables crisp
Good to Know
Undressed salad components keep up to 2 days refrigerated in airtight containers; dressing up to 5 days
Rehydrate mushrooms and seaweed up to 8 hours ahead; prepare dressing up to 1 day ahead; combine salad and dress only before serving
Serve chilled or at room temperature as a side dish or light appetizer
Common Mistakes
Do not dress the salad more than a few minutes before serving to avoid soggy vegetables
Do not skip cooling the sweet soy to avoid crystallization
Do not over-soak seaweed to avoid mushy texture