Wood-ear mushroom (moc nhi) is curly, crunchy and has almost no flavor. Vietnamese cooking uses it to add crunchiness to the dish.
How to use
The most common uses are adding it to meat mixture or stir-fry to add some crunchiness to the texture.
How to prepare
Dried wood-ear mushroom requires soaking, and it does become much bigger after it has been rehydrated. Pour boiling water over dried wood-ear mushrooms and let them soak for 5-7 minutes, or until they are fully rehydrated.
When used in stir-fry, this mushroom is usually julienned. In meat mixture, it is often finely minced.
Where to buy
You can find dried wood-ear mushroom at Asian grocery stores.