Kikurage wood ear mushroom is a popular ingredient in Asian cuisine recipes. It’s a common topping in Japanese ramen, mostly loved because it is very beneficial to the body and has an exciting, flavorful and chewy texture.
But how do you prepare this dish to ensure you get the most of its taste and health benefits?
My recipe below will guide you; be sure not to leave out any step
Contents
More About Wood Ear Mushroom Ramen
Before we get down to prepare our delicious wood ear mushroom ramen, let’s understand it more. Generally, wood ear mushroom is a type of edible mushroom popularly used in preparing Japanese ramen noodles.
It gets its name from its shape that resembles the ears and is very high in nutritional value.
Other than the name wood ear mushroom, it’s also popularly known as jerry ear, black fungus, Jew’s ear and Mu Er in Chinese.
Below is my easy-to-go recipe that I use for my Kikurage:
How to Prepare Kikurage Ramen?
Since Kikurage is mostly available in a dried version, we’ll need to rehydrate the mushrooms first. Follow these steps to rehydrate;
- Soak the wood ear mushrooms in cold water for 1-2 hours. Note that they can increase 3-4 times in size.
- If you’re short of time, soak in warm water for 20 minutes but note that they will not expand as much. They will also be less crunchy.
- If you’re not preparing immediately after rehydrating, store in the fridge and use within 2 days.
Wood Ear Mushroom Ramen Recipe
Wood Ear Mushroom Salad Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 cup of wood ear mushrooms
- 1 tbsp. olive oil or any oil of your choice
- 1 large onion finely chopped
- 1 cup ramen noodles
- 2 tbsp. soy sauce
- 1 tbsp. regular vinegar
Instructions
- Prepare the ramen noodles as per the instructions on the package.
- Place a frying pan on the stove and add some oil to heat.
- Add the chopped onions to the oil.
- Meanwhile, chop up the Kikurage into small pieces and add them to the frying pan once the onions become translucent.
- Fry for about five minutes while occasionally stirring to avoid burning. Add some water if necessary.
- Add the soy sauce and vinegar to the mushrooms.
- Place the ramen noodles in a bowl, top it up with the mushrooms and dig in.
- This Kikurage ramen recipe is a basic one. Sometimes I stir-fry vegetables and add them to the mushrooms.
Health Benefits of Kikurage
Kikurage also known as wood ear mushroom is low in fat and calories and is high in fiber, iron and antioxidants. It is widely used in Chinese medicine because it has immune-enhancing and antimicrobial properties.
Below are some of the health benefits of this wild mushroom.
- Lowers cholesterol levels
- Improves iron deficiency
- Reduce inflammation
- Promotes gut health
- Enhances immune and antimicrobial properties
- Protects the liver from deficiencies
Kikurage Nutritional Information
For a piece of the mushroom in a 4 ½ gram serving
- Calories: 12.8 kcal
- Carbohydrates: 3.2g
- Fat: 0g
- Fiber: 3.15g
- Potassium: 33.9g
- Protein: 0.4g
- Saturated fat: 0g
- Sodium: 2.6mg
Conclusion
I am sure you will love the outcome if you follow my recipe. And did you notice how the mushrooms quickly absorb the flavor from the ramen broth and noodles? The taste is great, and the nutritional value is exceptional. You can try it and if you have any questions or suggestions, don’t hesitant to let us know.
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