This post, now over 12 years old at this time of update in January 2025, came of a somewhat sporadic trip to the West Coast of North America during the most trying years of my life. This meal, like anything that offers a brief distraction in the face of ceaseless bereavement, felt time-halting. I've updated the recipe every so slightly to be more accessible, but it's more of less the same.
This is based on a dish I sampled at Wild Rice in Vancouver and, while mine pales in comparison to theirs, it's not half bad. The non dairy cheese pairs well with the simplicity of seared king oyster mushrooms (eryngii or king trumpet) that are lightly sprinkled with flakes of sea salt.
Mostly I love this recipe because it's dead easy to make and will please a crowd (and by 'crowd' I mean my other half, me, and a bottle of wine). The quantities in the recipe make plenty to serve with the mushrooms, but if you want to forego the fungi and serve vegan cheese spread to a crowd then you'll want to double up (at least).
A few things to keep in mind
Red rice vinegar is made from red yeast rice, a fermented rice with a deep reddish purple colour that's derived from the mould cultivated by the bacteria Monascus Purpureus. The flavour of the vinegar is yeasty and nutty with a tinge of anise and five spice, a distinctive flavour imparted by the cultured red rice. Combined with soy sauce, it's a hit.
Please note red vinegar and red wine vinegar are not the same.
In the vegan cashew cheese recipe below, I've added additional red rice yeast for colouring, but this is wholly optional. I don't think it's particularly difficult to find (I got mine at Wing Yip in East Croydon), but I'm sure you'll have better luck in sourcing the vinegar (which should be available in most Chinese supermarkets).
📖 Recipe
King oyster mushrooms with red vinegared cashew spread
Ingredients
- 100 grams cashews
- 2 tablespoons Chinese red vinegar 30 millilitres
- 1 tablespoon agave or vegan honey 15 millilitres
- 1 ½ teaspoons mushroom soy sauce
- ¼ teaspoon red rice yeast, pounded or ground to a powder (optional, for bolder colour)
- 2 large king oyster mushrooms
- Olive or vegetable oil
- Flaked sea salt or kosher salt
- 8-10 leaves Italian basil
Instructions
- Place the cashews in a large bowl and cover with just off the boil water. Leave for 30 minutes. Strain the cashews.
- If you have a high powered blender that holds small quantities, combine the ingredients through to the red rice yeast. Blend until the cashews are mostly broken up and a paste begins to form. A few chunks are okay.
- Slice the mushrooms lengthways into approximate ¼ inch slabs. Heat a skillet or grill pan to medium high heat and drizzle some oil in. Fry the mushroom pieces for about 2 minutes on each side, or until they are lightly browned.
- Remove to a plate and sprinkle with a pinch or two of flaked salt. Scoop a liberal dollop or three of the cashew paste on each dish, top with basil leaves, and serve immediately.