My tofu and mushroom mince is perfect for people transitioning to a vegan diet. It was developed to look and taste like a typical Asian pork mince dish I usually have at home with rice. The umami enriched shiitake mushrooms and soy sauce are the top flavours that shine in this dish. The wood ear mushrooms add fantastic texture to counter the softness of the tofu which provides much of the bulk. This is a very simple, quick and delicious recipe for vegans and lovers of tofu.
Life Update – An Evening with Nigella Lawson!
Steph and I went to see Nigella Lawson last week! My sister bought me tickets for Christmas and I must say it was an absolutely amazing and entertaining night. Nigella talked a lot about her life and her food philosophy which we both found very inspiring. She also said she reads thousands of cook books as well as food blogs! For a fleeting moment I actually imagined her reading this blog and laughing at my terrible jokes. This is how far I have fallen…
Tofu and Mushroom Mince
Onto another, slightly less exciting story… here’s my tofu and mushroom mince! I’ve been experimenting with a vegan alternative to pork mince for a while and I am finally happy with the results. The tofu has been broken up to the same size and shape as cooked pork mince, then browned with soy sauce to get a similar colour. The shiitake mushrooms add a huge flavour kick which somewhat counters the tofu taste. This is important because the tofu flavour can be quite strong and off putting for some people. Lastly, I added the wood ear mushrooms (black fungus) for bite and its earthy colour to keep the dish interesting.
My Tips for Making Tofu and Mushroom Mince
- Add a little bit of dark soy sauce into the light (common) soy sauce to give the tofu a richer brown colour.
- The black fungus or wood ear mushroom is a crucial element in this recipe since it provides the texture. If you can’t find this ingredient, I suggest putting something that is neutral in taste and has crunch.
- Be careful of non gluten-free soy sauces, if this matters to you. I suggest using Kikkoman Gluten Free Soy Sauce.
Other Recipes Similar to Tofu and Mushroom Mince
- Congee
- Hot and Sour Soup with Tofu
- Vietnamese Fried Tofu in Tomato Sauce
- Bok Choy and Shiitake Mushroom Stir Fry
- Simple Pork Mince and Rice
If you guys do make this recipe, please tag us at #scruffandsteph on Instagram, Pinterest and Facebook. We would love to see your creations!
Thank you for visiting our blog and we hope you enjoyed this post.
Scruff & Steph
Tofu and Mushroom Mince
Ingredients
- 6 dried shiitake mushrooms, finely chopped
- 5 gm black fungus / wood ear mushroom roughly chopped (available at Asian groceries)
- 250 gm hard tofu, mashed
- 1 tbsp canola oil
- 2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
- 1/2 small brown onion, finely chopped
- 1.5 tbsp soy sauce (check for gluten free)
- 1/4 tsp white sugar
- pepper
- coriander, roughly chopped
Instructions
- In separate bowls, cut the shiitake mushrooms in half with a pair of scissors and soak in boiling water for 30 minutes. Do the same with the black fungus / wood ear mushroom except leave them whole.
- In a large bowl, break up the tofu into smaller pieces with your hands.
- After 30 minutes, take out the shiitake mushrooms and black fungus. Wash them under a tap and chop them up.
- In a fry pan on medium heat, add the oil, onion and garlic. Cook them until they begin to go brown and translucent.
- Add the tofu, shiitake and black fungus. Continue to stir and cook for 5 minutes.
- Add the soy sauce, pepper and sugar. Stir the tofu around for a further 5 minutes.
- Taste the tofu and add more soy if not seasoned enough.
- Garnish with chopped coriander and serve with rice.
Yum – this looks so delicious! I hope to try this recipe on the weekend 🙂
Hi Alex! We hope you do give it a go. Thanks for dropping by!
Hey this looks great does the mince work well in wontons or dumplings? I’m looking for something that has sort of the right flavour but also that lovely chewiness.
Hi Reatha! I know what you mean about chewiness and I don’t think this will have the same texture you are looking for. This recipe once cooked, has more of a crumbly texture which is probably not suitable for dumplings. Unfortunately, I don’t have any recipes on the blog at the moment to help you. Sorry!!!