King Oyster Mushroom Salad that will make you drool

Have you ever tried king oyster mushrooms? Whenever I pass them in the store, I want to pick some up but I don’t always know how to cook it. That is, until I discovered this simple and delicious King Oyster Mushroom Salad recipe that blew me away.

This little cold dish of mushrooms with dressing will please the spice lovers, the flavour chasers, the vegan eaters, the texture crunchers and everyone in between.

But what are King Oyster Mushrooms?

King oyster mushrooms are the largest member of the oyster mushroom family. Unlike other types of mushrooms, it’s got a thick white stem and a relatively small brown or tan cap. When cooked, the flesh is almost meaty in texture with a rich umami flavour.

It’s native to the Mediterranean but it’s cultivated throughout Asia and widely used in Chinese, Japanese and Korean cuisines. It's dense, chewy texture lends itself well to be used as a substitute for meat and seafood.

How to use this versatile mushroom?

King oyster mushrooms can be cooked in so many different ways. They are good sautéed
with butter and thyme, grilled like a piece of pork chop, deep fried in batter or shredded to make vegan pulled pork. Due to its firm texture it doesn't shrink much and retains its shape really well after cooking.

In fact, cooking the mushroom actually accentuates the umami flavours. It's more savoury and meatier than in its raw form.

And as I said before, it can be turned into a vegetarian scallop or an imitation shredded buffalo chicken. However, I think treating it as a mushroom is the easiest way to go. That’s why this King Oyster Mushroom Salad is my favourite way to enjoy this wonderful ‘sroom. It takes 10min to prepare, it's flavour packed, vegan and goes so well with rice.

Contrasting textures

This King oyster mushroom salad has all the textures! You’ve get the meaty chewiness from the mushrooms, sweet juiciness from the bell pepper, fragrance from the leafy cilantro and a lovely oily crunch from the fried peanuts.

Every component is there for a reason and that reason is to provide you with an interesting bite every single time.

The killer dressing

To bring life to the party, let me introduce you to a killer dressing. The combination of dried chilli flakes, cumin powder, sesame seeds and tons of garlic is a revelation! Flash fry with hot oil to bring out the fragrance, the smell will make your mouth water. A method is very similar to my Classic Hot Chilli Oil 红油辣椒 recipe.

Put this sauce on literally anything and it’ll taste amazing. For example, boiled noodles, vermicelli with bean sprouts, steamed eggplant or even boiled, sliced eggs! Once you’ve learn to make this dressing, you’ll want to have it on hand all the time.

A little disclaimer

While I did call this dish a salad, it's not really a salad in the traditional meaning of the term. You don't really eat this straight up with a fork. (well, you can if you want to)

This is more like a Chinese cold dish, used as accompaniment for starches like rice or noodles. That's why the seasonings are more punchy and intense. Check out my trio of salads for more western salad combinations.

Substitutions for ingredients

For those who can’t stand cilantro, replace with thinly sliced scallions.
For those who have peanut allergies, use cashews.
For those who don’t have bell peppers, use cucumbers or thinly sliced sweet onions.
And for those who don’t like king oyster mushrooms….give this recipe a try! I promise you’ll feel differently after.