Stir-fried Wood Ears with Cucumber

Cucumber stir-fries have always been my favorite, particularly in summer. The freshness and crispiness combined with cooling juiciness - yums. Touched with chilies and garlic, how can you resist. Now before I get too carried away with adjectives, let me introduce you one of my favorite summer side dishes.

Just a small note: In my kitchen Chinese food is often times unmeasurable. It is more of a splash of this and handful of that, rather than cups and grams. Feel free to adjust the quantities to your own taste.

STIR-FRIED WOOD EAR WITH CUCUMBER

• 1 cucumber
• oil
• 3 garlic cloves
• 5 cm fresh ginger root
• handful of dried wood ear
• 3 dried chillies
• 3 tbsp Shaoxing rice wine
  
• pinch of sugar
• 1 tbsp soy sauce
• 1/2 tsp sesame oil

Slice the cucumber diagonally into thin slices. Cut the ginger into thin strips. Soak the wood ears in hot water for about 20 minutes or until soft. Drain well and squeeze all the remaining liquid.

Heat the oil in a wok and swirl it around. Add the garlic, ginger and chillies and stir-fry for a few seconds. Add the cucumber and the mushroom. Sautee for about two minutes. Add the sugar and all the liquid ingredients. Heat through and set off the fire. Stir through the sesame oil and serve immediately.