black pearl mushroom/Pad Hed Poa

[beanboy]

We just had some carryout from a place here in Chicago, USA. One of the dishes we had was Pad Hed Poa which was described as 'Stir-fried black pearl mushroom and ground pork cooked with chili paste'. We enjoyed it quite a bit--the pork was cooked to the point where it almost became a grain/accompaniment to the Mushrooms, which were probably reconstituted dried funghi. To a certain extent they resembled black olives in size and shape with a nice earthy crunch to them.

I've searched for more information on 'black pearl mushroom' and have hit a blank wall.

I'd appreciate any info on the mushrooms--perhaps a different more common name, or at least a description of some sort. If you think they might be fairly easily found in the States, please point me in that direction.

Also, any notes on the dish as a whole--what it is, traditionally, would be helpful in recreating it.

[threestars]

I got curios on how it looks like. Does it resemble like this one here:

[Nayan Gowda]

They appear to be these:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Astraeus_hygrometricus

Can't help you anymore than that, I'm afraid.