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Provenance of Dish
Deep-fried Battered Mushrooms are one of my all-time favorite dishes. They are so delicious, rich in flavor, and are ready in less than 30 minutes. These fried mushrooms are also known as Hot butter mushrooms, adapted from the authentic Calamari dish from the island of Sri Lanka.
It has a light and crispy seasoned batter, then deep-fried to golden perfection, and finally sautéed with bell peppers and spices. The ultimate snack that’s always a huge hit in my home!
For a vegan and gluten-free starter or side dish give this vegan mushroom fry a try. We love to serve this hot as an appetizer, and if you are feeling a little adventurous, serve this over some cooked white rice or fried rice.
Usually, I use gram flour for the batter, but this can also be made with All purpose flour. It is a great alternative but I believe gram flour texture goes well with mushrooms. You can always adjust the spices according to your preference. If you are non-vegan, you can always use regular butter instead of vegan butter. This is such a forgiving recipe so you can get creative with spices and ingredients except for the batter!
Recipe
Ingredients
3/4 cup of Oyster Mushrooms ( 1 Box of mushrooms)
1/2 tsp minced garlic (1-2 Cloves of Garlic)
1/2 tsp minced ginger
1 small sliced bell pepper (Sliced it lengthwise)
2-3 leaves of green onion or scallions (cut in small pieces)
1 tsp sugar
1 tsp chili flakes
1/2 tsp red chili powder or smoked paprika
2 tbsp vegan butter
Pinch of salt
Canola or vegetable oil for deep frying
The Oil amount varies with the size of the pot you use. For a smaller nonstick saucepan with high sides, add oil to cover ⅓ of the pot.
For the batter
1/2 cup finely ground gram flour (also known as Chickpea/ Garbanzo flour)
1/2 cup of thick coconut milk from the can ( Texture of heavy cream)
Instructions
Wash each mushroom thoroughly. Cut 1 inch off the end of the stem ( bottom part). Using your hand, rip/peel each mushroom lengthwise into thin long strips and set aside. Using a paper towel, pat-dry the mushrooms to remove excess water.
For deep frying- heat the pan with oil on medium heat. The ideal temperature of the oil for frying should reach around 375 Fahrenheit.
In a small bowl, mix in all the gram flour and coconut milk. Use a spatula to mix, prepare a lump-free batter. (The mixture will look thick but don’t worry! that’s what we are looking for!)
Once the oil is at the correct temperature, reduce the heat to medium-low. ( In between medium and low)
Now dip each peeled mushroom into the batter using your hand. Shake off any excess batter. Add the battered mushroom into the heated oil.
Fry it for 2-3 minutes or light golden color ( Don’t let it burn!) Depending on the size of the pan, add about 3-4 pieces of battered mushrooms at a time.
Straightway lay the fried mushrooms in a paper towel to soak in all the excess oil.
Repeat until all the mushroom pieces are fried to crispy perfection.
Now into a medium-size nonstick saucepan add vegan butter. Turn the heat to medium.
Add previously prepared ginger and garlic to the pan. Sauté for 1-2 minutes until the mixture turns a golden color ( it will start to smell so good)
Now add in the bell pepper and sauté for about 1-2 minutes ( It will start to reduce in size)
Now reduce the heat to low. Add in chili flakes, sugar and give it a mix.
Add a pinch of salt and red chili powder to the mixture. If you don’t like it spicy, add the same amount of smoked paprika instead of chili powder and mix everything. Make sure the heat is low at this point as spices will burn quickly.
Lastly, add in the deep-fried mushroom and chopped green onion leaves.
Sauté for about 2 minutes until everything is well combined.
Serve immediately as an appetizer or with a side of rice. For a twist, serve this with a lime wedge. Enjoy!
