The Spicy Spatula

Okay guys, so I have just discovered the easiest, peasiest Asian style vegan dinner recipe on the planet. Maybe discover is a strong word, but I happened upon a few similar recipes that were decidedly not vegan and decided that they had the makings of a super delicious lazy vegan dinner.

Why lazy? Well, put simply, the past couple years have been exhausting. Not only did we move to a place with limited vegan food options right before 2019 got under way, but the only improvements in my small-ish town have been in terms of vegan options at the grocery store.

That means more cooking. More experimenting with vegan recipes. More time in the kitchen.

Which I love.

Mostly.

But it would be nice, every once in a while, to go out where someone else does the cooking. Where there are appetizers and cocktails and maybe even dessert before the bill.

But that’s not on the table unless we schlep all the way to Bucharest which…no.

So, anyway…here is yet another lazy vegan recipe. Gochujang spiced vegan chicken & rice.

When I say easy vegan recipe, I mean emphasis on EASY. The ingredient list in this recipe is short and sweet.

All you need is the following:

Mushrooms (the hubs used oyster mushrooms but I think bella caps could work too)
Vegan chicken (or TVP)
Basmati rice
Soy sauce
Gochujang
Scallions (for garnish)
Sesame seeds (for garnish)

Notice how white the basmati rice is? Well that’s simple to accomplish. Instead of using my waste-free broth, I used plain water, lightly salted. This way the rice keeps that beautiful stark white ness that looks beautiful against the bright red of the gochujang sauce.

Cook the rice according to instructions, remove from the heat and fluff before plating.

Slice the mushrooms so they’re the same size as the mushrooms. My hubs did this and let me tell you, it was so delicious and moist that I could hardly tell the difference between the vegan chicken and the mushrooms. These will take some time to cook but if you’re feeling lazy, get them started on the stovetop–with or without oil–and let them finish in the oven while you do everything else.

Once the mushrooms are in the oven, add the TVP over medium to medium-high heat and cook until browned on the edges and slightly crispy. Don’t go crazy or you’ll end up with a vegan version of super dry turkey and that’s no bueno for everyone.

In a small bowl, combine gochujang and soy sauce, add lime juice or rice vinegar to thin out the sauce. Set aside until you’re ready to toss the vegan chicken and mushrooms together. Bring to a boil and simmer for a few minutes, just long enough for all the flavors to blend and warm through.

Serve on a bed of rice and garnish with scallions and sesame seeds.

Easy, peasy, vegan squeeze-y, right?