Dry goods & condiments
Wood Ear Fungus
A dried ear-shaped fungus; in Hong Kong retail, 木耳 is generally larger and thicker than 雲耳, although grades vary.
- 繁體中文
- 木耳
- English
- Wood Ear Fungus
- Bahasa Indonesia
- Jamur Kuping / Wood Ear (木耳)
- Tagalog
- Wood Ear Fungus (木耳)
What is it?
A dried ear-shaped fungus; in Hong Kong retail, 木耳 is generally larger and thicker than 雲耳, although grades vary.
How to identify it
Dry pieces are dark brown to black, broad, wrinkled and ear-shaped; after soaking they expand and feel firm-crisp.
- Usually broader pieces
- Wavy ear-like edges
- Thicker crisp bite after soaking
Common confusion
Wood ear is generally broader and thicker than cloud ear, but retail grades overlap. Trust the original label.
Common Hong Kong household uses
Used in stir-fries, soups, braises and cold dishes.
Preparation or handling
Rinse under running water and soak in a clean container. Limit room-temperature soaking to two hours; refrigerate if longer. Cook and use promptly.
Storage
Keep dried pieces sealed, cool and dry. Refrigerate soaked fungus and use promptly.
Helper tip
Do not identify it only as “black fungus.” 木耳 is usually larger/thicker and 雲耳 smaller/thinner; the package label is decisive.
What Ma’am or Sir may say
浸木耳，唔好放室溫過夜。Do not soak wood ear overnight at room temperature; refrigerate when soaking longer than two hours.
Useful market phrase
I need 木耳, not the smaller, thinner 雲耳.Does the image look correct?
Last reviewed
Sources
- Hong Kong Food and Environmental Hygiene Department — Public Market Items - Other Foods
- Hong Kong Food and Environmental Hygiene Department — Public Market Items Multilingual Booklet
- Hong Kong Food and Environmental Hygiene Department — Other foods Cantonese pinyin
- Hong Kong Centre for Food Safety — Soaking Mushrooms and Food Safety
- The Chinese University of Hong Kong — Hong Kong Discovery - Six Edible Fungi