HK SOUP ORIGINS: Wood Ear Mushroom

Wander down many of the streets in Sheung Wan and Sai Wan, and you will see and smell the dried seafood and herbs filling the air. Many locals and expats will recognize these ingredients as key to Cantonese soups, one of the delicious staples in Hong Kong diets. In this series, our writers at HK-Cityguide profile the origins of these soup ingredients.

Past rice terraces, waterfalls and karst mountains, the car snakes through the high-altitude terrain of Guizhou, a province in the southwest of China. After three hours, the driver stops. Vehicle air-conditioning is swapped for clammy, humid air as we alight at an old village dotted with wooden-stilt houses that sit against a mountainous landscape. Qiandongnan is an autonomous prefecture that’s home to the Miao and Dong tribes, and the starting point for our hike into the wild.

Following the lead of a few local villagers, we walk deep into dense forest. As we trek further on, a small group of people start to appear between the gaps of the Maidenhair trees. They are farmers picking cup shaped wood ear mushrooms from what look like small stumps sprawled across the moist ground.

Judas’ Ear in the East

In the West, the mushroom has a rather bad reputation. The wood ear mushroom has many names. Judas' ears, jelly ears or pepeao, especially the first name. 

Allegedly, the name Judas’ ear is a consequence of a curse for Judas betraying Christ. On the decaying elder tree, there are numerous ear shaped fungus appearing after the death of Christ. Ever since then, the mushroom has been neglected on the dining table of the west for centuries. 

However, in China the reputation is the exact opposite. It has been cultivated since the Tang dynasty (619 - 907), the mushroom is commonly known as the cloud ear or romantically known as the “black rose of the dining table.” Indeed, it has been part of famous Chinese dishes for centuries.

In recent years, Jianhe County authorities in Guizhou have been encouraging the use of its forests for the cultivation of edible fungi, allowing the local residents to earn a steady income. With cultivating the black fungus, thousands of residents escape poverty.  

The fungus is sensitive towards the temperature of its surroundings, it only thrives under a humid and chilly environment. 20 to 25 degree celsius will be the best temperature for cultivating it. With its year-round spring climate, Guizhou is the ideal environment for fungi farms that grow this gelatinous-looking mushroom. The best quality dried wood ear mushrooms sold all over the asain market are produced here.

Balance within the Forest

Knowing how important the natural ecosystem is to wildlife, the farmers ensure that they sustainably grow and harvest wood ear mushrooms without damaging forest flora. In order to create farmland, trees have to be torn down. 

It is a common dilemma for farmers. The balance between nature preservation and human development is always hard to strike. But not for the farmers in Guizhou, they find their way out. 

Indeed, the fungi planting location we are standing on was created without any trees being cut down, allowing the farmers and surrounding woodland to live harmoniously.  Logs that are used to grow black fungus are not limited to freshly cutted ones, rotten logs are also capable of farming the fungus. 

The ground is adorned with hundreds of mushroom-growing logs but in between them remain the towering trees. With the abundant amount of logs supplied, farmers can simply pick up any log in the forest and turn it into a fungi farm.

The Rose of Vegan

The wood ear comes with excellent nutritional values. “You are what you eat” is a dogma for local tribespeople. It is rich in amino acids, vitamin B2 and iron. Compared with beef, it is 16 times denser with iron. 

Veganism is popular in Guizhou due to the long lasting Buddhist background and part of the Miao village lifestyle. The mushroom becomes a compelling option for religious folks to replenish themselves with iron. 

The rose not only enhances the functions of the kidney, but also increases bowel movements while revitalising veins to allow the smooth passage of blood. A smooth passage of blood leads to better skin complexion and higher energy level. It’s little wonder it appears on the dining table of local villages more often than other ingredients. 

Tooth for Spicy and Sour

Living in a chilly and humid environment like Guizhou, people often have a problem with low appetite and feeling sluggish. In response to such circumstances, the locals develop a food culture building around spicy and sour recipes. 

In the morning, ladies simply take a bowl of shredded fresh wood ear out of the fridge and mix it up with some black vinegar. A simple, yet fulfilling and delicious breakfast is done within minutes to start off the day. 

As dusk approaches, after a long day of work, the villagers return to their families and enjoy a hearty meal with their loved ones. Spicy and sour flavoured dishes are favourites for young and old folks. The mushroom’s mild taste and jelly-like texture, makes it go well with local flavours. 

Even the world-famous Chinese hot and sour soup, a favourite comfort food of locals, is not complete unless there are shredded wood ear mushrooms as a topping. The refreshing and crunchy texture of wood ear mushroom contrasts with the soft and smooth tofu while the spicy and sour flavour of the soup raises the appetite for the family members around the table. 

Here the “black rose” not only detoxifies bodies. It also warms the hearts of many Miao and Dong families after a hard day’s work deep in the forest.