Black fungus salad with cucumber

Soak 30 g of dried black fungus in water for 1 hour; it swells a lot. Rip larger kinds into small pieces.

Boil the fungus 3 minutes, then put it into ice water for 5 minutes; drain and dry.

For the sauce mix 1/2 tbsp Sichuan chili sauce, 3 tbsp soy sauce, 2 tbsp Chinese black vinegar, 2 tsp sugar, 2 tsp sesame oil, 1 tsp freshly ground ginger and 2 tsp Sichuan peppercorn powder; use less peppercorn the first time.

Mix the fungus, cucumber, some cilantro and the sauce; taste and adjust with salt, or sugar and water if too salty.

For the garnish, cut a chili into petals, remove the seeds and soak in water 30 minutes so it curls into a flower.