Recipe: Sorrel hoisin fried ‘chicken' burger

Recipe from Plentiful by Denai Moore for a vegan Jamaican burger

Every now and then you need a good burger in your life, and this one satisfies that craving. This is the kind of dish I make for my non-vegan friends. The sorrel hoisin glaze is quietly delicious and adds a fruity twist. Lettuce and pickles are non-negotiable here. There's just something about the hot, crispy, sticky glazed oyster mushrooms and the ice-cold lettuce.

Serves 6

Prep time 20 minutes plus 20 minutes marinating time

Cook time 30 minutes

Ingredients

• 250g oyster mushrooms
• 2tbs green seasoning (see below)
• 1tbs soy sauce
• 1tsp ground allspice
• Vegetable oil, for deep-frying
• 1x quantity sorrel hoisin glaze (see below)
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper

For the wet dredge

• 400ml soya milk
• 1tbs lemon juice
• 2tsp hot sauce of your choice

For the crispy coating

• 200g plain flour
• 50g cornflour
• 1tbs all-purpose seasoning
• 1tsp dried sage
• 1tsp ground allspice
• 1½tsp onion powder
• 1½tsp garlic granules

To serve

• 6 vegan-friendly brioche burger buns
• Knob of vegan block butter
• Vegan mayonnaise
• ½ iceberg lettuce
• Gherkins

In a bowl, toss the mushrooms with the green seasoning, soy sauce, allspice and some salt and pepper. Set aside to marinate for 20 minutes.

Combine the wet dredge ingredients in one bowl and the crispy coating ingredients in another, seasoning the coating mix with plenty of salt and pepper.

Add a little of the wet dredge to the dry coating and mix in – this will create small lumps, which will become crispy pockets. Dip the mushrooms in the wet dredge, then into the coating mix and then repeat for a double coating.

Tap off any excess coating mix and set aside on a baking sheet, ready to fry.

Pour enough vegetable oil into a high-sided heavy-bottomed frying pan or saucepan to fill to halfway and gently bring to heat. Test the temperature by using a wooden spoon – if lots of bubbles appear around it immediately, it's ready to go.

Add 4-5 mushrooms to the pan, taking care not to overcrowd.

Fry for 5-6 minutes until crisp and golden.

Drain off any excess oil on a wire rack. Repeat until all the mushrooms are cooked. Brush the sorrel hoisin glaze on the mushrooms and set aside.

Toast the brioche buns with a touch of vegan butter. On the base of each bun spread a tablespoon of vegan mayonnaise and add a couple of lettuce leaves. Now add the glazed mushrooms and pickles. And another dollop of vegan mayo on the top bun. Serve and enjoy!

Green seasoning recipe

Serves 10-12

This flavour bomb is great to add to stews, soups and marinades.

• Bunch of coriander
• Bunch of flat-leaf parsley
• 10 sprigs of thyme, leaves picked
• 5 spring onions, roughly chopped
• 2 celery stalks, roughly chopped
• 1 bulb of garlic, cloves peeled
• 1 onion, roughly chopped
• 1 green bell pepper, roughly chopped
• 1 Scotch bonnet
• Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

Put all the ingredients in a food processor and blend for 2-3 minutes to your desired consistency. I like mine quite fine, but you might like yours more coarse.

Store in a clean jar and refrigerate for up to two weeks.

Sorrel hoisin glaze recipe

Serves 3-4

Sorrel is a hibiscus drink. The floral notes really work with the sweetness of the hoisin sauce. This would work well in various dishes, especially anything crispy and fried.

• 400ml sorrel soft drink
• 1 Scotch bonnet
• 4 allspice berries
• 100ml hoisin sauce

Combine the sorrel, whole Scotch bonnet and allspice in a saucepan, bring to the boil, then reduce by half – it should hold on the back of a spoon and be sticky.

Add the hoisin sauce, then transfer to a clean jar and store for up to two weeks in the refrigerator.

From Plentiful by Denai Moore (Hardie Grant, £24)