Golden Oyster Mushroom "Fish Fry"

This original recipe was created for R&R Cultivation by Vegan food blogger, Asia Strom.

Who would have known mushrooms could be a fish replacement?! After some trial and error, I have created this fried, breaded and fishy deliciousness. After you devour this meal, you won't have "mush-room" for dessert! This is definitely a must-try. No fish was harmed in the making of this "fish" fry! 

I have always loved breaded and deep fried mushrooms, but I have never tried making them myself. I decided to try and deep fry a variety of different kinds of mushrooms to see which I would like best, which led me to this amazing creation! Even with a basic batter, golden oyster mushroom's natural flavor just reminded me so much of fried fish. With a few extra spices and ingredients, this became phenomenal! You could use this same recipe and create "fish" tacos, "fish" sandwiches, or "fish" and chips. You won't have to find Nemo to try these! Just find your way over to rrcultivation.com place your order and get to cooking!

I used this same batter and deep fried bite-sized pieces of Lion's Maine mushroom as well! I will also include a picture of the "fish" bites below. Those little bites were to die for! Just squeeze a bit of lemon and dip in the same tartar sauce! I promise you won't regret it! Unless, of course, you eat as much as I did! It was just so good I couldn't stop. 

Serves: 4-6 

Cook Time: 40 minutes

Ingredients:

• ½ pound-1 pound Golden Oyster Mushrooms (½ pound serves 4, 1 pound serves 6)
• Vegetable Oil
• 2 Lemons

Tartar Sauce:

• ½ Cup Vegan Mayo
• 1 Tbsp Lemon Juice (half of a small lemon)
• 1  Spicy or Dill Pickle Minced
• 1 Tsp Spicy Brown Mustard
• 1 Tsp Dried or Fresh Dill
• 1 Tsp horseradish (Optional)
• Salt & Pepper To Taste 

Coleslaw:

• 1 Small Purple Cabbage (4 Cups)
• 2 Large Carrots (2 Cups)
• 1 Cup Vegan Mayo
• 2 Tbsp Apple Cider Vinegar 
• 1 Tbsp Lemon Juice (half of a small lemon)
• 2 Tbsp Maple Syrup 
• 1 Tsp Dried or Fresh Dill
• 1 Tsp Salt
• 1 Tsp Pepper

 Dry Batter:

• 1 Cup Flour
• 2 Tbsp Nutritional Yeast
• ¼ Cup Panko Bread Crumbs 
• 1 Tsp Salt 
• 1 Tsp Fresh Ground Pepper
• 1 Tsp Garlic Powder
• 1 Tsp Onion Powder
• 1 Tsp Paprika 
• 1 Tsp Ground Cumin

Wet Batter:

• 1 Cup Flour
• 1- 1 ½ Cups Almond Milk
• 2 Tbsp Kelp Granules or Finely Chopped Nori Paper
• 1 Tsp Baking Powder
• 1 Tsp Garlic Powder 
• 1 Tsp Onion Powder 
• 1 Tsp Paprika 
• 1 Tsp Salt
• 1 Tsp Fresh Ground Pepper
• 1 Tsp Dried Dill

Steps:

1. I like to start with the tartar sauce before anything else, because this gives the sauce time to set in the fridge. Mince the spicy pickle for the tartar sauce and add it to a small bowl. You can use a regular dill pickle, but the spicy pickles are so much better in my opinion. Add the mayo, fresh lemon juice, spicy brown mustard, horseradish (optional), dill, salt and pepper to taste. Place the bowl in the fridge until everything is ready to serve.
2. Prepare the coleslaw, finely slicing the cabbage and carrots. You could also use green cabbage, but I just love the color of the purple one. Add cabbage and carrots to a large bowl. Add the Mayo, apple cider vinegar, lemon juice, maple syrup, dill, salt and pepper to taste. Mix until everything is well combined. Place coleslaw in the refrigerator until everything is ready to serve.
3. Get 2 medium size bowls. Add all the dry batter ingredients to one bowl and combine well. Add all the wet batter ingredients to the other bowl and stir until there are no visible lumps. You don't want the batter too runny or thick, so adjust the almond milk accordingly.
4. Gently rinse and dry your mushrooms. Be careful and try not to damage them, because they can be delicate and break apart easily. Make sure the mushrooms are really dry before you batter them. If they are not dry, it will cause the fried mushrooms to be soft and not as crispy. 
5. Pour vegetable oil in a medium saucepan. Put enough oil in the pan to make sure you can fully submerge your battered mushrooms. Turn heat to medium-high. You will know your oil is ready when you place a wooden spoon in the oil and you see tiny bubbles surrounding the spoon.
6. Break apart your mushrooms into even sized clusters, large or small depending on your preference. I like larger pieces to better resemble a fish fillet. Fully submerge each cluster of mushrooms once in the wet batter, and once in the dry batter. 
7. Once the mushrooms are battered, drop them into the hot oil. Deep fry until the breading looks golden and crispy, about 3-5 mins. Remove the mushrooms from the oil and place on paper towels to absorb the excess oil.
8. Assemble 1-2 "fish" pieces, coleslaw, and tartar sauce on the plate. Garnish with a lemon wedge and fresh dill if you have any left over. Squeeze lemon over fried "fish" before serving. Enjoy!