Dried Judas's Ear Mushrooms

Auricula judae is commonly known as the Jew's ear fungus/mushroom or Judas's ear fungus. In fact 'Auricularia' means ear.

This name 'Judas's ear' comes from the legend that Auricularia formed its ear-shaped fruiting bodies as a curse on the tree on which Judas hanged himself.

This jelly fungus is ear shaped, ranging from purple to dark brown or black in colour with a rubbery texture, and most often found on dead trees.

This species is used often in Asian cooking and in then referred to as 'wood ear', 'tree ear', or 'black wood ear'.