Vegan braised mushrooms in pepper sauce (Nấm kho tiêu chay)
“Kho” – Braising is one of the simplest and most traditional cooking techniques in Vietnam. This method can be applied to almost anything – be it meat, fish, mushrooms, tofu or vegetables. In short: anything you want can be braised. Each family has its own recipe, but the basic ingredients typically include fish sauce, black pepper and sugar. The combination of spicy, sweet and peppery is a simple but very tasty feel-good mixture.
Traditional but vegan!
In this version of “Kho”, I have “veganized” the dish, so to speak, without sacrificing the usual flavours. One of my goals is to develop more plant-based recipes that are just as intense in flavor as the traditional ones. Mushrooms in particular are the ideal choice for me when it comes to replacing meat in a dish. Not only do they taste great, but their tender, meat-like texture makes them a wonderful alternative.
4 SERVINGS
Ingredients
600 g mushrooms (button mushrooms & shitake)
2 shallots, finely chopped
6 cm piece of ginger, finely chopped
1 tsp ground black pepper
2 tbs soy sauce (or vegan fish sauce)
375 ml water
2 tbs vegetable paste
1 tsp sugar
1 tbs neutral oil
First cut the shallots into thin slices. Crush the ginger with the flat side of the knife and break into small pieces.
Marinate the mushrooms with the soy sauce, ground black pepper, stock powder, ginger and half the shallots. Leave the mixture to infuse for about 15 minutes to allow the flavors to soak in.
Heat the vegetable oil in a small pan and add the remaining shallots. Sauté until the shallots start to become fragrant.
Then add the water, increase the heat to medium and bring to the boil. As soon as it boils, reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer for 10-15 minutes until the sauce has reduced and thickened.
Finally, serve the dish with rice.
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