Fish Well are a Chinese brand, popular for their range of preserved, pickled vegetables. Fish Well's Preserved Mustard Stem with Black Fungus is available in easy-to-open packets and features pickled "Zha Cai" or the stem of the mustard plant. Originating in Sichuan and believed to be one of the world's oldest types of pickles, pickled mustard stem is used in many dishes, such as Sichuan dan dan noodles, traditional soups with ground pork and mifen, and as a condiment for rice congee. Mustard stem is often fermented with a chilli paste, which is either washed off or retained depending on the final product. The taste is a combination of spicy, sour, and salty. Its unique texture, crunchy but tender, is probably closest to a pickled cucumber. Fish Well's Preserved Mustard Stem with Black Fungus combines the traditional Zha Cai with wood ear mushroom, also known as "black fungus", a popular variety of mushroom in Sichuan cuisine. Known for its jelly-like consistency and distinct chewiness, black fungus has been used not only in cooking, but also in traditional Chinese medicine for centuries. It has a fairly neutral taste like Tofu and tends to absorb the other flavours present in a dish, it’s even sometimes added to Cantonese desserts. Rich in nutrients, it is said to alleviate symptoms of several conditions, including jaundice and sore throats.