Isaw is a popular Filipino street food typically made with chicken or pig parts. To veganize it, I used oyster mushrooms but with the same marinade to give it the same delicious taste without all the fat.
I have many Filipino friends tell me it’s difficult to have a plant-based diet as a Filipino since the majority of the dishes are meat-based. Thankfully in this day of age, it’s actually much easier to become plant-based due to all the ingredients that are offered in the market.
The star ingredient for this recipe is oyster mushrooms which have been around a long time, but I’ve been seeing it a lot of recipes in the past 3 years.
When looking at the final dish, it honestly scared me because it looked like the real thing!
Anyways, I hope you enjoy this recipe and continue to stay safe!
Much love!
Tips on How to Make Vegan Isaw:
- If you are avoiding salt, you can use mushroom seasoning. You can find this at your local Asian market or Trader Joes
- If there is too much sticking on the grill, you can brush some oil to it before placing the oyster isaw to grill.
- Do you love sweet and spicy isaw? Feel free to add more sugar and chili to the marinade.
- If you do not have coconut oil to add to the marinade, you can use olive oil instead.
How to Make Vegan Isaw:
These are the ingredients that you will need:
Marinade:
- garlic
- red onion
- vinegar
- soy sauce
- brown sugar
- salt
- pepper
- ketchup
- annatto powder
For the Isaw:
- oyster mushroom
- coconut oil
- bamboo small skewers
To Prepare the Mushroom Marinade:
First, slice the oyster mushroom into strips and add it in a bowl.
Into the same bowl, add all the marinade ingredients: garlic, onion, vinegar, soy sauce, brown sugar, salt, pepper, ketchup, annatto powder and mix.
Allow it to marinate for at least 30 minutes to 1 hour or until the mushrooms absorb most of the sauce.
Next thread the marinated oyster mushrooms strips in an intestine like pattern and set aside. You can make at about 4 – 6 sticks with this recipe.
To the remaining marinade mixture, add coconut oil and mix until combined:
To Grill:
Grill the Isaw, brushing it with the leftover marinade for approximately 5-10 minutes or until it turns dark brown. Place Isaw on a grill and grill Isaw until all sides are dark brownish/reddish**:
Make sure to grill it evenly on both sides and always check if any side is burned:
Best served with hot rice and vinegar sauce (sinamak):
Filipinos love grilled isaw any time of the day, especially for lunch and dinner.
Frequently Asked Questions for the Vegan Isaw Recipe:
Q: Where can I buy oyster mushrooms?
A: You can purchase the oyster mushrooms at your local Asian market for an affordable price. I’ve them at Trader Joes at it’s about a couple dollars more.
Q: Can I make this dish a day ahead?
A: Yes, you can marinate the mushrooms overnight and refrigerate it, then follow the rest of the steps to grill.
Q: Would coconut sugar be good to use instead of brown sugar?
A: Yes, for sure. It would taste just as good.
Q: Can other mushrooms be used for this Vegan Isaw recipes?
A: Sure, you can use other mushrooms for this recipe, but to get the traditional Isaw look, oyster mushrooms give the authentic look.
These Filipino dishes go well with Vegan Isaw:
Vegan Isaw
Ingredients
Marinade:
- 4-5 cloves garlic crushed and minced
- 1 small red onion minced
- 2 tablespoon vinegar
- 1 tablespoon soy sauce
- 2 tablespoon brown sugar
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon pepper
- 200 grams tomato ketchup
- 1 tablespoon annatto powder
For the Isaw:
- 250 grams of oyster mushroom
- 2 tablespoon coconut oil
- 4-6 pcs bamboo small skewers
Instructions
- Slice the oyster mushroom into strips and add it in a bowl.
- Into the same bowl, add all the marinade ingredients and allow it to marinate for at least 30 minutes to 1 hour or until the mushrooms absorb most of the sauce.
- Thread the marinated oyster mushrooms strips in an intestine like pattern and set aside. You can make at about 4 - 6 sticks.
- To the remaining marinade mixture, add coconut oil and mix until combined.
To Grill:
- Grill the Isaw, brushing it with the leftover marinade for approximately 5-10 minutes or until it turns dark brown. Place Isaw on a grill and grill Isaw until all sides are dark brownish/redish**.
- Best served with hot rice and vinegar sauce (sinamak).
Notes
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