Laura Smith
Mushroom tocino is a vegan take on the iconic Filipino tocino, a cured meat dish that is usually made with pork and is known for its sweetness and bright red colour. To make mushroom tocino, you can use fresh white oyster mushrooms or maitake mushrooms for their meaty texture. The mushrooms are marinated in a mixture of sugar, pineapple juice, soy sauce, garlic, vinegar, and black pepper. The colouring is optional but you can use annatto or atsuete powder to give it an orange-ish colour or use red food colouring for the traditional red hue. After marinating, the mushrooms are pan-fried until they are glazed and lightly charred. Mushroom tocino can be served with sinangag (garlic fried rice), vinegar with chillies and onions, and tomatoes for a hearty Filipino breakfast.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Type of dish | Vegan Filipino cured "meat" |
| Main ingredient | Mushrooms (ideally oyster mushrooms) |
| Other ingredients | Sugar, pineapple juice, soy sauce, garlic, vinegar, salt, black pepper, oil, annatto or atsuete powder |
| Marinade time | 15 minutes to overnight |
| Cooking method | Pan-frying |
| Colouring | Annatto or atsuete powder (optional) |
| Serving suggestions | Sinangag (garlic fried rice), sukat sili (vinegar with chiles and onions), kamatis (tomatoes), tofu scramble, fried egg |
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What You'll Learn
Marinating the mushrooms
Choosing the Mushrooms:
Select fresh and meaty mushrooms for the best results. Oyster mushrooms, particularly the white variety, are an excellent choice due to their chewy texture and beautiful ridged caps. Maitake mushrooms are another good option, as they also have a meaty texture.
Preparing the Marinade:
The marinade for mushroom tocino is a simple mixture of various ingredients. Start by dissolving 1 tablespoon of salt in 1/4 cup of water. Then, in a bowl, combine 3/4 cup of sugar (or 3-4 tablespoons of brown sugar, depending on your desired level of sweetness), 1/4 cup of pineapple juice, 1 tablespoon each of vinegar, soy sauce, and water, 1/2 clove of diced garlic, and 1 tablespoon of ground pepper. Mix these ingredients well until the sugar is completely dissolved, creating a sweet and savory marinade.
Once you have prepared the marinade, it's time to add the mushrooms. If you are using oyster mushrooms, blanch them in boiling water first and then squeeze out the excess water. Place the mushrooms in the bowl with the marinade and gently mix until the mushrooms are completely coated. Cover the bowl with aluminum foil and set it aside at room temperature for 2-3 days. This extended marination time allows the mushrooms to fully absorb the flavours of the marinade.
Optional Colouring:
Traditionally, tocino is reddish in colour due to the use of red food colouring or natural alternatives like atsuete or annatto, which is common in Filipino cuisine. If you wish to achieve this colour, you can add a few drops of liquid food colouring or a pinch of powdered red food colouring to the marinade before adding the mushrooms. Atsuete or annatto powder can also be used, but be cautious as they can easily stain your hands and clothing.
Storing and Cooking:
After marinating, you can pack your mushroom tocino in containers and store them in the refrigerator. When ready to cook, heat a pan on low heat and add the marinated mushrooms. Cook until the sides turn slightly brown and the sugars in the marinade create a beautiful glaze. Be careful not to burn the mushrooms as the sugars can burn easily. Serve with sinangag (garlic fried rice) for a classic Filipino meal.
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Pan-frying the mushrooms
Choosing the Right Mushrooms
Select fresh and meaty mushrooms, such as oyster mushrooms. Oyster mushrooms come in various colours, including white, brown, black, pink, and yellow. Maitake mushrooms are another excellent option for their meaty texture.
Preparing the Mushrooms for Pan-Frying
Before pan-frying, it is essential to marinate the mushrooms. Create a marinade by mixing ingredients like sugar, pineapple juice, soy sauce, garlic, vinegar, and black pepper. You can also add red food colouring or natural alternatives like annatto or atsuete powder for an orange-ish red colour.
Break apart large mushrooms into smaller pieces if desired, then place them in the marinade. Ensure the mushrooms are thoroughly coated. Cover and refrigerate for at least 15 minutes or overnight for deeper flavour infusion.
The Pan-Frying Process
When ready to cook, heat a pan on medium heat. Unlike traditional pork tocino, there is no need to add oil or water before adding the mushrooms, as mushrooms contain mostly water.
Place the marinated mushrooms in the pan and cook until the liquid from the marinade evaporates and forms a glaze. Be cautious as the sugars in the marinade can burn easily. Continuously flip or toss the mushrooms to prevent burning and ensure even cooking.
Serving Suggestions
Serve your mushroom tocino with sinangag (garlic fried rice), suka't sili (vinegar with chillies and onions), and kamatis (tomatoes) for a traditional Filipino meal. You can also pair it with tofu scramble or a fried egg for a hearty breakfast option.
Enjoy your homemade mushroom tocino!
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Choosing the right mushrooms
Oyster mushrooms are the best choice for making mushroom tocino. They have a chewy, chunky stem and beautiful ridged caps. Their small fan-shaped form comes in a variety of colours, including white, brown, black, pink, and yellow. Oyster mushrooms are also widely available.
If you don't have access to oyster mushrooms, maitake mushrooms are a good alternative. Maitake mushrooms have a meaty texture, which is ideal for this recipe.
When choosing mushrooms, it's important to consider the growing conditions, your budget, and personal preferences. If you plan to cultivate your own mushrooms, the choice of grain spawn is crucial. Oats are a popular choice for spawn production due to their affordability, nutritional value, and structure. They offer a consistent and reliable option for growing a variety of mushrooms. Other grains like rye, millet, and sorghum can also be used, depending on your specific needs and growing conditions.
Regardless of the type of mushroom you choose, it's essential to properly prepare and sterilize them before use. This includes soaking them in boiling water and squeezing out the excess water, as mushrooms contain a lot of water, which can affect the cooking process.
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Adding colouring
One option is to use atsuete or annatto, which is a seed from the achiote tree. It has an orange-ish red colour and is commonly used in Filipino cuisine. It can be purchased in seed or powder form, but the seeds can easily stain your hands and clothing, so be careful when handling them.
Another natural alternative is to use sliced beets, which will give the dish a reddish tint.
If you are happy to use red food colouring, the powdered form is recommended. You only need a small amount (â…› tsp) to achieve the desired colour, and it does not affect the flavour of the dish.
It is worth noting that the colouring step is entirely optional, and you can choose to leave out any colouring agents if you prefer a more natural look.
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Serving suggestions
Vegan mushroom tocino is a take on the iconic Filipino dish, tocino, which is usually made with pork. It is often served with sinangag (garlic fried rice) and a fried egg for a classic Filipino breakfast.
If you are vegetarian, you could serve it with tofu scramble or a fried egg. It can also be served with vinegar for dipping, suka't sili (vinegar with chillies and onions), and kamatis (tomatoes).
For a more traditional pork tocino, serve with sinangag (garlic fried rice) or plain white rice, and fried eggs. You could also add sliced cucumber and tomato to cut through the richness of the dish.
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Frequently asked questions
Mushroom tocino is a vegan take on the iconic Filipino dish, tocino, which is a cured meat dish, usually made with pork.
You will need oyster mushrooms, brown sugar, pineapple juice, soy sauce, garlic, vinegar, salt, pepper, and oil.
First, blanch the mushrooms and dissolve the salt in water. Then, mix all the ingredients, except the mushrooms, in a bowl. Add the mushrooms and cover the bowl with foil. Leave for 2-3 days. Cook on low heat until browned.
Traditionally, tocino is reddish in colour, achieved by adding saltpeter (salitre) or red food colouring. However, you can skip this and use annatto or atsuete powder for an orange-ish colour, or no colouring at all.
Mushroom tocino can be served with sinangag (garlic fried rice), vinegar with chillies and onions (sukat sili), and kamatis (tomatoes). You can also serve it with tofu scramble or a fried egg.
