Nashville Hot Snow Oyster Mushroom

Ingredients

• snow oyster mushrooms or other oyster mushrooms (Clean with a dry brush, trim away any remaining growing substrate, and pull apart into serving-size pieces.)
• frying oil (For deep-frying; heat to 370°F (188°C). Amount depends on the size of the frying vessel.)
• 2 cup cabbage (Shredded)
• 1.5 tbsp vegan mayonnaise (Use 1–2 tablespoons.)
• 2.5 tbsp pickle juice (Use 2–3 tablespoons.)
• salt (To taste)
• black pepper (To taste)
• 1 cup flour (For the wet batter)
• 0.75 tsp cayenne pepper (For the wet batter; use 1/2–1 teaspoon.)
• 2 tsp paprika (For the wet batter)
• 2 tsp garlic (Minced; for the wet batter)
• 2 tsp onion (Minced; for the wet batter)
• 1.25 cup unsweetened, unflavored plant-based milk (For the wet batter)
• 1.5 cup flour (For the dry batter)
• 1 cup potato starch (For the dry batter)
• 2 tsp garlic (Minced; for the dry batter)
• 2 tsp onion (Minced; for the dry batter)
• 2 tsp chili powder (For the dry batter)
• salt (To taste; for the dry batter)
• black pepper (To taste; for the dry batter)
• 0.5 cup vegan butter (Melted)
• 2 tbsp maple syrup (For the Nashville hot sauce)
• 2 tsp garlic (Minced; for the Nashville hot sauce)
• 1 tsp apple cider vinegar (For the Nashville hot sauce)
• 1.5 tbsp cayenne pepper (For the Nashville hot sauce; use 1–2 tablespoons.)
• 4 bread (For serving)
• dill pickle slices (For serving)

Steps

1. 1

   Heat the frying oil in a deep, heavy pot or deep fryer to 370°F (188°C). Use enough oil for the mushrooms to float freely, and monitor the temperature throughout frying.

2. 2

   If using home-grown mushrooms, harvest them. Clean the mushrooms with a dry brush, trim off any remaining growing substrate, and pull them apart into pieces of the desired serving size.

3. 3

   In a bowl, whisk together the flour, cayenne pepper, paprika, minced garlic, minced onion, and plant-based milk to make the wet batter. Stir until smooth and evenly combined.

4. 4

   In a separate bowl, combine the flour, potato starch, minced garlic, minced onion, chili powder, salt, and black pepper for the dry batter.

5. 5

   In another bowl, combine the shredded cabbage, vegan mayonnaise, pickle juice, salt, and black pepper. Toss until the cabbage is evenly coated, then set the slaw aside.

6. 6

   In a bowl or large cup, stir together the melted vegan butter, maple syrup, minced garlic, apple cider vinegar, and cayenne pepper to make the Nashville hot sauce.

7. 7

   Working in batches, coat each mushroom piece thoroughly in the dry batter. Shake off excess, then dip it into the wet batter until completely covered.

8. 8

   Carefully place the battered mushrooms into the 370°F oil. Fry in batches without overcrowding until deeply golden and crisp, turning as needed for even browning. Remove to a wire rack or paper-lined tray to drain. For air frying, spray the battered mushrooms with a little oil and air-fry until crisp and golden.

9. 9

   While the mushrooms are still hot and crisp, coat them with the Nashville hot sauce, turning gently so the sauce covers the surfaces without making the crust excessively soggy.

10. 10

    Set the sauced mushrooms on bread. Serve with the cabbage slaw and dill pickle slices.

Notes

The recipe author identifies potato starch as the secret to the crisp fry batter and says other mushroom varieties may be substituted. Air-frying is possible, but the mushrooms will likely need a light spray of oil to achieve similar crispiness.

Nutrition per serving

• main
• vegan
• plant-based
• dairy-free
• vegetarian
• fried
• spicy
• sandwich