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Refreshing Spinach and Wood Ear Salad — finished dish, ready to serve.

Refreshing Spinach and Wood Ear Salad

清爽开胃凉菜｜凉拌菠菜木耳 · pan chinese cuisine

20 min total5 min cooking3 stepssavorytangyrefreshing

A light Chinese cold appetizer made with blanched spinach and wood ear mushrooms, tossed with a hot-oil dressing of garlic, dried chilies, and sesame. Crisp, tangy, and popular with the whole family.

Fiona Aldridge's profile photoFiona AldridgeUK mum of three, sourdough starter named Barry is four years old. I bake through my nan's recipe box and post the wins and the collapsed sponges.

Nutrition & allergens

Contains:Sesame

Per serving (4 servings)

Energy (kcal)
35.9(Main ingredients only; seasoning not counted)
Protein (g)
1.9(Main ingredients only; seasoning not counted)
Fat (g)
1.6(Main ingredients only; seasoning not counted)
Carbs (g)
4.4(Main ingredients only; seasoning not counted)
Sodium (mg)
25.8(Main ingredients only; seasoning not counted)

Estimated from verified ingredient data for the original formula — not lab values, and one dish is not a full meal.

  • spinach菠菜

    7.05 oz

  • wood ear mushroom ingredient

    wood ear mushroom木耳

    1.76 oz

  • Dried chiles ingredient identification photo

    Dried chiles干辣椒

    0.35 oz

  • white sesame seeds白芝麻

    0.32 oz

Techniques you'll use

Steps

  1. 1

    Step 11 min

    Blanching (chao shui) ↗
    Refreshing Spinach and Wood Ear Salad — step 1 visual checkpoint.

    Bring a pot of water to a boil. Add the wood ear mushrooms first, along with a little cooking oil, then add the spinach and blanch for 30 seconds. Remove, rinse under cold water, and squeeze out the water thoroughly — this helps the salad absorb the dressing better.

    ✅ Done when: The spinach is wilted and bright green after 30 seconds of blanching.

  2. 2

    Step 2

    Chili-oil infusion ↗
    Refreshing Spinach and Wood Ear Salad — step 2 visual checkpoint.

    In a bowl, combine the minced garlic, dried chilies, and sesame seeds. Pour hot oil over them to release their aroma. Season with salt and sugar to taste, 1 tablespoon light soy sauce, 2 tablespoons black vinegar, and a small drizzle of sesame oil.

    ✅ Done when: The oil sizzles and the aromatics smell fragrant.

  3. 3

    Step 3

    Cold dressing (liang ban) ↗
    Refreshing Spinach and Wood Ear Salad — step 3 visual checkpoint.

    Pour the dressing over the spinach and wood ear mushrooms and toss until evenly coated. Serve.

    ✅ Done when: All pieces are evenly coated with the dressing.