The flavor of these fried oyster mushrooms resembles a lot to chicharrones or fried chicken. If you use vegan egg replacer you can make this recipe 100% vegan and a great replacement for those KFC cravings.
Oyster mushrooms are widely known for their “meaty” texture and for that reason they are considered one of the most affordable options for vegans to substitute meat.
Even if you are a vegan you can enjoy a big plate of these crunchy fried mushrooms with some garlic sauce or sriracha mayo.
They are easy to make and also frugal. You can add an “exotic” touch to your dinner without spending a lot of money on ingredients that you’ll probably never use again.
How to make the fried oyster mushrooms?
First, we need to clean thoroughly the mushrooms. Oyster mushrooms have a rough texture and sometimes dirt hides in the small spaces.
I like to cut them in half. Oyster mushrooms are bigger than regular mushrooms. So I cut them lengthwise right in the middle of the stem to get bite-size pieces.
Then I like to season every step of this recipe, I’ll explain: I season the mushrooms, the beaten eggs, and the cornstarch.
Chinese food isn’t afraid of seasoning, and especially salt. They even have plates that are basically salt and pepper. So, don’t be scared, also remember that mushrooms usually are pretty bland.
The main difference between the way we fry and the way Chinese fry is that instead of flour they use cornstarch as the coating. Cornstarch will give you a crispier, crumblier texture. Flour will be thicker and dense.
The rest is just regular frying and serve!
I’ll give you a few ideas for a complete Chinese gastronomic experience at home:
Chinese Fried Oyster Mushrooms
Ingredients
- 200 gr oyster mushrooms
- 2 eggs
- 1 cup cornstarch
- Canola oil to fry
- Salt and Pepper
Instructions
- Clean the oyster mushrooms and cut them in half to get bite-size pieces.
- Season with salt and pepper.
- Beat the eggs lightly. Dip the mushrooms in the egg batter.
- Cover the mushrooms with cornstarch.
- In a big pan pour enough oil to cover the mushrooms and heat it over medium heat. Fry the mushrooms until they are crunchy and brown. Transfer to a plate with paper towel to absorb the excess oil.
- Serve along with some garlic mayo or sriracha mayo.
I’m Maria and I love cooking—and mostly EATING—food from all around the world. I’ve been sharing my abuela’s secret Latin-American recipes for the last 7 years with the world on this blog. I’ve been a full-time food blogger for many years and I’m always trying new delicious meals that don’t require a culinary degree or a Michelin-star chef. I also love traveling, cats, and knitting.