Recipe: Hen of the Wood, Tofu Soubise and Mala Sauce
Plant-based restaurant, Holy Carrot, has shared the recipe for their highly popular dish: Hen of the Woods with tofu soubise and mala sauce.
The Soubise:
Ingredients:
- 3 medium white onions (approx. 480g)
- 250g flora plant butter (1 block)
- 2 tbsp mirin (28g)
- 1 tbsp rice wine vinegar (15g)
- 1 block silken tofu (325g)
- Salt to taste
Method:
- Sweat the onions in butter until soft, golden and sweet smelling (around one hour), and add a pinch of salt
- Deglaze the pan with mirin and rice wine vinegar.
- Transfer everything to a blender along with the silken tofu and blend until completely smooth. Add salt to taste.
Mala Sauce:
(Makes multiple servings)
Ingredients:
- 180ml roasted peanut oil or good quality olive oil (not extra virgin)
- 1tbsp minced fresh ginger
- 1 star anise
- ½ small cinnamon stick
- 1 small shallot, minced
- 1 small garlic clove, minced
- 2 tbsp sichuan peppercorn
- 20g dried chillies
- 60ml toasted sesame oil
Method:
- Heat the roasted peanut oil in a skillet over a low flame to 175ºF / 80°C.
- Add all of the spices and cook until the oil reaches a temperature of 225ºF / 107°C over moderately low heat. Simmer at this temperature for 5 minutes.
- Pour the mixture into a heatproof jar and leave to cool.
- Mix in toasted sesame oil once cooled down.
Hen of the Wood
Ingredients:
- Hen of the Wood mushrooms (around 300g per portion)
- Some thyme (a few sprigs)
- Lemon
- 2-3 cloves of garlic
- 100g butter
- 100ml olive oil
Method:
- Add 50g of the butter & 50ml of the olive oil to a pan over medium heat.
- As it starts to melt and bubble, add the mushrooms and a generous pinch of salt.
- Let the mushrooms sit for 1 minute, basting them with some of the butter and oil in the pan.
- Add the thyme, a piece of crushed/grated garlic, and a squeeze of the lemon juice, and shake the pan to incorporate.
- Let sit and cook for 30 seconds.
- Once the mushrooms are completely cooked through and caramelised, allow to rest on a tray before serving.
Serving:
- Pour the warm soubise into a bowl, place the Hen of the Wood on top, and finally dress with the mala sauce.
- Top with pickled seaweed.
Alternative method:
If you wanted a smokier version of the Hen of the Wood, you can cook the mushrooms over an open fire.
Method:
- Prepare a wood fire, and once the embers are nice and hot (about 30 minutes) rub the grill grates with the oiled rag.
- Grill the hens, turning every few minutes to brush them with oil.
- Once the mushrooms are completely cooked through and caramelised, remove and
serve.