Recipe and photo contributed by:
Kasthuri Jeyapalan
Instagram | TikTok
This recipe takes a beloved Chinese takeaway dish and makes it completely plant-based. The lion’s mane mushroom is the star, with its chunky, shredded texture that absorbs the spicy and savoury sauce brilliantly. The combination of garlic, ginger, dried chillies, and soy sauce creates a robust and addictive flavour profile that’s both sweet and spicy. This is a quick and easy weeknight dinner that’s guaranteed to be a hit with everyone!
Preparation time: 15 minutes
Cooking time: 20 minutes
Serves 2–3
Ingredients
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 inch ginger, thinly sliced
1½ cups lion’s mane mushrooms, soaked and drained
5–6 dried chillies, cut into 1″ pieces
1½ tablespoon dark soy sauce
2½ tablespoons light soy sauce
1 tablespoon rice vinegar
1 tablespoon sugar or maple syrup
2 teaspoons corn flour, mixed with a little water to form a slurry
1½ teaspoon hot chilli powder
½ cup water
Salt, to taste
Oil, for cooking
Roasted cashews (optional, for topping)
Method
1. Heat a little oil in a pan or wok. Add the sliced ginger and minced garlic. Sauté over medium heat until fragrant.
2. Add the dried chillies, soy sauces, rice vinegar, sugar or maple syrup, chilli powder, and water. Stir well.
3. Add the corn flour slurry, and continue stirring until the sauce thickens and becomes glossy.
4. Add the lion’s mane mushrooms, and stir to coat them evenly. Toss in some roasted cashews if using.
5. Turn off the heat, and serve hot with steamed rice.
Tips
● Prepping lion’s mane mushrooms: If using fresh ones, tear them into chunks and squeeze out excess water after soaking or rinsing. This helps them absorb the sauce better and gives a meatier texture.
● Adjust heat level: The number of dried chillies and amount of chilli powder can be adjusted to your spice preference. For less heat, remove the chilli seeds or reduce the chilli powder.
● Corn flour slurry: Always mix corn flour with a little cold water before adding it to the hot pan to prevent clumping.
● For a slightly crispy texture, pan-fry or air-fry the mushrooms before adding them to the sauce.
● No lion’s mane? You can substitute tofu or tempeh for a similar bite.
