Hakeke / Wood Ear History & Marinade Recipe

Did you know this humble mushroom helped create one of New Zealand's earliest export industries?

When most people walk past Hakeke (Wood Ear) growing on a rotting log, they probably don't give it a second glance.

But in the 1870s, these strange floppy, ear-shaped fungi became one of New Zealand's first commercially exported wild foods.

The story begins in Taranaki with Chinese merchant Chew Chong. Having arrived in New Zealand in 1868, he recognised that the ear shaped mushrooms growing on fallen native trees were the same prized edible mushrooms that had been enjoyed in China for centuries.

He sent samples back to China, where their identity and value were confirmed, and before long an entirely new export industry was born.

Families throughout Taranaki began gathering Hakeke from recently felled native forests. The mushrooms were carefully dried, compressed into large bales and shipped to China, where they were considered a delicacy. They became so well known that they even earned the nickname "Taranaki Wool."

At its peak during the 1880s, the fungus trade became so successful that, in some years, the value of Taranaki's fungus exports exceeded its butter exports.

It's incredible to think that what many people still overlook today as an odd looking mushroom growing on old logs once helped provide an income for farming families and became one of New Zealand's earliest export industries.

Māori already knew this mushroom as Hakeke and ate it, although it was generally regarded more as a famine food. In contrast, Chinese culture has treasured Wood Ear mushrooms for well over a thousand years, not only as a food but also for their medicinal qualities. They are believed to have been among the very first mushrooms ever cultivated by humans, with cultivation recorded during China's Tang Dynasty around 600 CE.

Hakeke are one of the easiest mushrooms to recognise once you know what you're looking for. Their common names, including Wood Ear, Pig's Ear and Jelly Fungus, perfectly describe their floppy, ear-shaped, jelly-like appearance.

I usually find them growing in clusters on rotting logs, dead branches and fallen trees after rain. They're best picked while young, fresh and soft, before becoming tougher with age. However you can gather when dried and rehydrate, as this is often how they are stored (dried then rehydrated for use).

Although they have very little flavor of their own, they're loved for their unique chewy texture. I enjoy adding them to soups, broths and stews, marinating them, or slicing them thinly into stir fries and Asian inspired dishes.

Caution: Wood Ear mushrooms may have a mild blood thinning effect and can increase clotting time. If you're taking anticoagulant medication or have a bleeding disorder, check with your healthcare professional before consuming them regularly.