Fried Yellow Oyster Mushrooms (Gluten-Free)
Saturday is my favorite day of the week. Not because it’s the weekend but because it’s the best farmers market day. On Saturday, organic farmers, growers and owners of fabulous small business who aren’t normally there during the week come on Saturday to showcase their goods.
And it was on a Saturday I met a couple of guys selling the most beautiful yellow oyster mushrooms I’ve ever seen. When I saw them I had to buy them and use them in a recipe. At first the thought of sautéing them in a pan with a little olive oil was an idea. However I thought why not live a little and fry them. Eating fried foods is something I normally don’t do but when you have oyster mushrooms with a slightly seafood type flavor (in my opinion), frying them and creating a plant based seafood platter seemed like the thing to do.
Oyster mushrooms
Some people say oyster mushrooms have a slight seafood taste. I definitely agree. However yellow oyster mushrooms brings a little nuttiness to that flavor. Yellow oyster mushrooms are delicate but hold together really well when cooked. They don’t hold up well in storage so it’s best to cook them immediately after purchased.
Oyster mushrooms are native to Asia. Interesting fact is that yellow oyster mushrooms can not be commercially mass produced due to the delicate nature of the mushrooms. But they can be grown by home growers pretty easily.
Yellow oyster mushrooms contain copper, zinc and carotenoids which gives the yellow color.
Gluten Free Batter
This recipe for the batter is gluten free so it’s perfect for anyone who is staying away from gluten. Chickpea flour is used so additional protein is an added bonus. With chickpea flour you don’t have to use eggs or dairy to make the batter. Chickpea flour lends itself really well to frying, making a nice crunchy outer layer.
Things To Do With The Fried Mushrooms
Placing them on salads is one of my favorite ways to use them. They’re great in sandwiches. As well as great with a nice dip such as the cilantro avocado dipping sauce listed in the recipe and/or dipped in plain regular yellow mustard. The yellow mustard works really well with the mushrooms. My favorite mustard is definitely the brand below. It’s organic and has very few ingredients. I use it quite often for recipes and to make my favorite salad dressing, which I’ll be sharing in the days to come.
So lets get to the recipe!
AuthorDesireeCategoryEasy Recipes, Gluten Free, Main MealsDifficultyIntermediateThis recipe is amazing if you are craving something fried but without meat or seafood. Oyster mushrooms make the perfect vehicle for being battered, fried and treated like seafood. But don't expect them to taste like oysters! What you'll find is a chewy, subtle sweet, nutty flavor which will still be sure to satisfy that seafood or fried chicken craving!
Take the yellow oyster mushrooms and clean them by taking a clean cloth or mushroom brush and brushing or wiping the mushrooms clean. Yellow oyster mushrooms can be a little delicate so be careful handling them.
Then prepare your batter by mixing the chickpea flour, smoked paprika, onion powder, dried nettle leaf (or parsley), sea salt and cayenne pepper together.
Pour enough water into the flour mixture to make a thick batter. Start by pouring half a cup of water at a time. The batter should be the same consistency of pancake batter. (I listed 1 cup of water in the ingredients but you might need a more to get to the right consistency).
Heat oil to about 350 to 355 degrees in a deep pan. I used a small 8 inch cast iron pan and placed 3/4 cups of avocado oil in the pan.This
This is my favorite avocado oil.
Break pieces of the oyster mushroom off the base of the bunch of mushrooms, Dip the pieces of mushrooms in the batter, make sure you completely cover the mushrooms in the batter. Place gently in the hot oil.
It should only take a couple of minutes for them to get golden brown on one side, then flip over to get the other side golden brown. Place a rack on a sheet pan and put the mushroom pieces that are finished cooking on the rack to drain. Continue to fry in batches adding additional avocado oil if needed.
After frying over half the mushrooms pieces, I decided to take the remaining mushrooms, cut them up. They were mixed in the remaining batter and made into patties.
Fry them on both sides for about 5 minutes each side.
Peel and scoop out a whole avocado and place in the food processor. Then add the bunch of cilantro, juice of half a lemon, sea salt and garlic clove. Blend all together till the sauce becomes smooth. Nutritional info is not available for the sauce at this time.
Ingredients
Directions
Take the yellow oyster mushrooms and clean them by taking a clean cloth or mushroom brush and brushing or wiping the mushrooms clean. Yellow oyster mushrooms can be a little delicate so be careful handling them.
Then prepare your batter by mixing the chickpea flour, smoked paprika, onion powder, dried nettle leaf (or parsley), sea salt and cayenne pepper together.
Pour enough water into the flour mixture to make a thick batter. Start by pouring half a cup of water at a time. The batter should be the same consistency of pancake batter. (I listed 1 cup of water in the ingredients but you might need a more to get to the right consistency).
Heat oil to about 350 to 355 degrees in a deep pan. I used a small 8 inch cast iron pan and placed 3/4 cups of avocado oil in the pan.This
This is my favorite avocado oil.
Break pieces of the oyster mushroom off the base of the bunch of mushrooms, Dip the pieces of mushrooms in the batter, make sure you completely cover the mushrooms in the batter. Place gently in the hot oil.
It should only take a couple of minutes for them to get golden brown on one side, then flip over to get the other side golden brown. Place a rack on a sheet pan and put the mushroom pieces that are finished cooking on the rack to drain. Continue to fry in batches adding additional avocado oil if needed.
After frying over half the mushrooms pieces, I decided to take the remaining mushrooms, cut them up. They were mixed in the remaining batter and made into patties.
Fry them on both sides for about 5 minutes each side.
Peel and scoop out a whole avocado and place in the food processor. Then add the bunch of cilantro, juice of half a lemon, sea salt and garlic clove. Blend all together till the sauce becomes smooth. Nutritional info is not available for the sauce at this time.
One Comment
Hannah M.
These were so delicious! First time buying yellow oyster mushrooms from my local Farmers’ Market. I normally stick to shiitake or chestnut, but wanted to try something new. I had a real bad craving for some vegan seafood and found your recipe quickly. I’m so glad I did, it definitely hit the spot! They were perfectly crispy and I found the batter to be light and just down right delicious. Perfect blend of spices. My husband and I loved the avocado sauce as well. Creamy and lemony. Served with a side of ketchup as well for a bit of tang. Can’t wait to make again for another homemade “takeout” night. Thank you!