This is my post into this week's Plant based cooking challenge.
I am making lion's mane mushroom tempura, with miso glaze. I have chosen tempura as the main feature and miso as the other.
I decided at the last minute to make tacos out of them and add some mango cucumber salsa to Mexicanize it for a fusion Asian Mexican thing. I always call it con-fusion for fun.
last week I managed to find some lions mane mushroom which is new in my life. They were the perfect meaty thing to tempura. I just turned "tempura" to a verb.
I didn't have time to cook them right away so I put them in the freezer.
When I took them out they were no longer white. That's okay because I would drench them in tempura batter. They were not damaged any other way. I squeezed the water out before I dipped them. I also coated them in tapioca flour that was in my cupboard. I ran out of cornstarch.
Tempura batter
1 cup all purpose flour
3 tablespoons cup tapioca flour
2 tablespoons rice four
1 vegan egg replacement (I used a store bought mix)
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 cup or more of soda water
Ice water
salt to taste
Most vegan tempura batters call for cornstarch but I simply didn't have any so I used tapioca and rice.
I added the soda which I had on ice, but gradually until I got the consistency I was looking for. I wanted it to stick but not be too thick.
The oil has to be a certain temperature, but I don't own a thermometer and somehow don't like the idea. I don't know why.
I just used my instincts and tested the oil by doing individual pieces adjusting the temperature.
For the miso glaze I used around 2 tablespoons miso, 3 tablespoons tamari, 1 tablespoon maple syrup. 2 tablespoons cane sugar, 3 tablespoons mirin, 1 tablespoon rice wine vinegar, 3 cloves garlic, 1 teaspoon minced ginger.
After browning the garlic add the liquids and sugar. Bring to a boil then simmer until thick. Strain in a fine sieve.
For the tacos I used tortilla flour. I added 1 cup of tortilla flour to 1 cup warm water mixing and setting aside.
After I made golf ball size balls rolling them out as thin as possible then cutting out with a bowl. I don't bother with a tortilla press. You can just buy them as well. I just prefer the taste of the homemade ones.
I toasted sesame seeds to sprinkle on top. I feel this could belong to any nation's cuisine.
I made a quick salsa with fresh mango and cucumber, adding lime juice salt and small hot red peppers. Normally it would be jalapeno pepper but this in Asian Mexican fusion so I used Asian style peppers. I like them because they are hotter.
I squeezed lime juice to add to the Mexican and Asian flavors. South Asia uses quite a bit of lime, as well as in Mexico which makes a perfect fusion. The miso is more of the Japanese thing which usually doesn't involve lime but instead uses mirin, rice wine, vinegar or rice wine.
Living in Canada, means many cultures may collide at some point. This is one of them.
Have a great day folks and thanks for stopping by!
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