Vegan Spice Bag

RECIPE CARD

Vegan Spice Bag

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Ingredients

Spice bag seasoning

• 1 Tbsp Chinese five spice
• 2 tsp kosher salt
• 2 tsp sugar (organic or beet sugar is reliably vegan)
• 1 tsp chili powder
• ½ tsp garlic powder
• ½ tsp white pepper
• ⅛ tsp each ground cardamom, cinnamon and ginger

Crispy "chicken"

• 1 lb king or oyster mushrooms, torn into strips (or 1 block extra-firm tofu, pressed and torn into bite-size pieces)
• 1 cup unsweetened soy or oat milk + 1 Tbsp apple cider vinegar (vegan buttermilk)
• 1 Tbsp soy sauce
• ¾ cup all-purpose flour + ¼ cup cornstarch, mixed with 2 tsp of the seasoning
• Neutral oil for frying

Chips

• 4 large russet potatoes, peeled and cut into chips

Toss-ins

• 1 white onion, sliced
• 1 red or green bell pepper, sliced
• 3 garlic cloves, chopped
• 1 red chili, sliced
• 2 scallions, sliced

Vegan chipper curry sauce

• 2 Tbsp olive oil
• 1 small onion, finely chopped
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 1½ Tbsp mild curry powder
• 1 tsp Chinese five spice
• 2 Tbsp flour
• 2 cups vegetable stock
• 1 Tbsp soy sauce
• 1 Tbsp ketchup or apple sauce
• 1 tsp sugar and a squeeze of lemon

Instructions

1. Mix the seasoning. Stir all the seasoning ingredients together.
2. Marinate. Whisk the plant milk, vinegar and soy sauce and let stand 5 minutes to thicken. Add the mushroom strips or tofu and soak 20–30 minutes.
3. Make the curry sauce. Soften the onion in oil 5 minutes, add garlic, curry powder and five spice for 1 minute, then the flour for 1 minute. Whisk in the stock, soy sauce and ketchup and simmer 10 minutes until thick. Blend smooth, then season with sugar and lemon. Keep warm.
4. Par-fry the chips. Rinse and dry the chips well. Fry at 300°F for 6–8 minutes until soft but pale. Drain.
5. Fry the "chicken." Heat the oil to 350°F. Lift the mushrooms or tofu from the marinade, dredge in the seasoned flour, dip back in the marinade and dredge again for a craggy crust. Fry in batches 4–5 minutes until deep golden and crisp. Drain.
6. Finish the chips. Fry the chips again at 375°F for 2–3 minutes until crisp and golden.
7. Toss. In a large hot wok or skillet with 1 Tbsp oil, stir-fry the onion, pepper, garlic and chili 1–2 minutes until just softened. Add the chips and crispy mushrooms or tofu, sprinkle generously with spice bag seasoning and toss.
8. Serve. Pile into a paper bag or bowl, top with scallions, and serve with the curry sauce.

Plating

Serve in a lined paper bag or takeaway box, scallions on top, curry sauce in a cup on the side.

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Schossow Kitchen · schossowkitchen.com