Char Siu ‘Pork Belly’

This char siu ‘pork belly’ made with lion’s mane mushrooms is succulent, full of flavour and tastes almost exactly like the traditional version! Served with rice and crisp cucumbers.

Char Siu (Chinese BBQ pork), a beloved dish in Chinese cuisine known for its sweet, savory, and slightly smoky flavor. Even though as a child I was not allowed to consume pork due to religious reasons (on hindsight it was not entirely just religion – it was a health concern too), I still found myself sneakily trying a plate of Char Siu Rice at the hawker centre just 5 minutes away from my home.

The beauty of the dish lies in the smokiness and sweetness that comes together with a drizzle of sauce and fresh steamed hot rice. Char Siu is traditionally made with pork, often pork belly, and roasted to create a tender, caramelized outer layer.  Char siu refers to barbecued pork and directly translates to “fork roast” in Cantonese, referring to the traditional method of skewering the pork and roasting it over an open flame.

Once I turned vegan, the only Char Siu substitutes were ultra processed, ‘red-looking’ soy meat that was far from juicy. So I turned to the plant based saviour that soaks in flavours like a sponge while retaining the chewy texture: lion’s mane mushrooms.

Lion’s mane is making its way round the health and wellness community with its potential cognitive and immune-boosting properties, but it’s been a really common plant based substitute in many vegetarian restaurants in Singapore and Asia. Eating them whole is a fun way to substitute meat in many recipes.

Their meaty, slightly fibrous texture gives them the perfect opportunity to be in place of meats like chicken, pork and beef. Marinating them in a flavourful Char Siu glaze gives them a rich and smoky flavour. Whether you’re roasting, grilling, or pan-frying, you can achieve a crispy caramelized exterior while keeping the inside moist and succulent.

Ingredients You Need

• lion’s mane ‘steaks’ – get large lion’s mane mushrooms. I get mine from Mushroom Buddies
• char siu marinade – we need a balance of sweet, salty, savoury, and smokey flavours
  • vegan hoisin sauce
  • light soy sauce, dark soy sauce
  • chinese five-spice powder
  • agave syrup
  • fermented red beancurd (this is KEY for the flavour + red colour!) – if you’re unable to find this, you can use red miso
  • vegan oyster sauce
  • shaoxing wine – chinese cooking wine
  • sesame oil
  • white pepper
  • minced garlic
  • beetroot juice (for colour) – you can also use beetroot powder or dragonfruit powder
  • pinch liquid smoke
• steamed rice
• asian greens of choice – bok choy, kailan or kang kong (water spinach)
• crisp cucumbers

Allium free substitutions: Omit minced garlic in marinade and substitute with asofoetida (hing).