Wood Ear Mushrooms

I must have been born in Asia in a previous life because I love the textures that most westerners dislike: gelatinous, chewy, jelly-like. That's wood ear mushrooms in a nutshell. They are completely bland and absorb the flavor of the food they are cooked with, similar to tofu.
I pour hot water over them and let them soak for 15 minutes. I drain then, slice them into slivers, and add them to any type of stir-fry.

When dry they almost seem to be made of paper and are the color of mice!