Raw auricularia can be eaten, but dried auricularia must be blanched in boiling water for 2 minutes, then removed from cold water and cooled, and the roots removed before it can be eaten raw. Auricularia auricula mostly grows on the rotten wood of oak, and there are other tree species, but oak ear is the best. Fresh fungus can be eaten raw, cleaned and mixed with cold dishes, mostly fried, accompanied by meat or other vegetables, or soup is better.

You should add some animal oil or vegetable oil when cooking. This is a famous healthy food. Auricularia auricula is sweet in taste and flat in nature, and has the effects of invigorating qi, strengthening body, promoting blood circulation, stopping bleeding, cooling blood and moistening lung.

Dry fungus should be soaked in warm water before cooking, and the part that is still tight after soaking is not suitable for eating. Fresh auricularia auricula contains toxins and cannot be eaten. Auricularia auricula has anticoagulant effect, and people with hemorrhagic diseases should not eat it. Pregnant women should not eat more.

Beware of inferior adulterated fungus. In order to increase the weight of auricularia auricula, some people soak it in salt water and sugar water, and even cook it with chemicals such as magnesium sulfate and alum, which will cause diarrhea and vomiting.

After chemical treatment, auricularia usually has a thin layer of hoarfrost on its surface, which is easily bonded by moisture. It tastes salty, sweet and bitter and feels heavier than normal auricularia. These adulterated auricularia auricula are soaked in clear water, which will be slightly heavier than normal auricularia auricula, and will soon sink to the bottom of the water, and the bubbles will stick to their hands after rising.

Resources: Baidu Encyclopedia of Auricularia auricula