A super easy way to cook king oyster mushrooms to make a vegan dish that tastes better than meat!
Prep Time: 20 minutesmins
Cook Time: 15 minutesmins
Total Time: 35 minutesmins
Course: Main, Side
Cuisine: Asian, Chinese
Servings: 2to 4
Author: Maggie Zhu
Ingredients
2(14 oz. / 400 grams in total)large king oyster mushrooms
2tablespoonslight soy sauce(or soy sauce, or tamari for gluten-free)
2tablespoonsJapanese sake
2teaspoonssugar
2tablespoonspeanut oil
2tablespoonsonion, chopped
Toasted sesame seeds for garnish(optional)
2servingssteamed white rice , to serve with
Instructions
Halve king oyster mushroom lengthwise, then slice into 4mm (slightly more than 1/8 in, double the thickness of a 1-dollar coin) thick slices. Transfer to a big plate.
Combine light soy sauce, Japanese sake, and sugar in a small bowl. Mix well.
Use a dining spoon to distribute the sauce over the mushrooms. Mix with chopsticks until the mushrooms are evenly covered with the sauce. Marinate for 15 minutes.
Add 1 tablespoon peanut oil to a nonstick skillet and heat over medium high heat until warm. Add 2 teaspoons green onion and stir a few times.
Cook mushrooms in batches. Spread them across the skillet without overlapping them. Save the marinating liquid for later use.
Let mushrooms grill without stirring them. When the skillet gets hot, turn to medium heat (or low heat if the skillet starts to smoke). When the bottom side turns golden, flip with chopsticks (or tongs) to grill the other side. Keep grilling and flipping, until both sides turn golden brown, with slightly charred edges. The process took me 8 minutes, but your cooking time will vary depending on the type of stove you’re using. Transfer the mushrooms to a plate and set aside.
Add the remaining 1 tablespoon of oil and 2 teaspoons of green onion. Continue to cook the remainder of the mushrooms. The cooking process will be shorter this time, since the skillet is quite hot already. Adjust heat between low and medium to cook the mushrooms slowly, with the skillet remaining hot. The mushrooms should be slightly charred and dehydrated without getting burnt. (I cooked two batches with a 9" / 24 cm skillet. You might need to cook more (or fewer) batches depending on the amount of mushrooms and the size of your skillet. Be sure to adjust the amount of oil accordingly.
When the last batch of mushrooms is cooked, add the previous batch(es) back into the skillet.
Pour the marinade over the mushrooms. Keep cooking over medium low heat until the liquid is absorbed, 2 to 3 minutes.
Place the mushrooms onto the steamed rice. Garnish with the remaining 2 teaspoons of green onion and the sesame seeds.