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    Home » Vegan Filipino Recipes » Vegan Isaw

    Vegan Isaw

    by Lainey · Posted: Mar 20, 2020 · This post may contain affiliate links ·

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    light and delicious vegan isaw

    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. 

    warm, grilled vegan isaw on a leaf

    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!

    delicious grilled vegan isaw on a plate

    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.
    delicious grilled vegan isaw on a plate

    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
    ingredients for vegan isaw

    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.  

    adding ketchup to the oyster mushrooms and spices

    Allow it to marinate for at least 30 minutes to 1 hour or until the mushrooms absorb most of the sauce.

    Isaw marinating

    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.  

    ready to grill vegan isaw

    To the remaining marinade mixture, add coconut oil and mix until combined:

    mixing the marinade with coconut oil

    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**:

    basting the vegan isaw with marinade

    Make sure to grill it evenly on both sides and always check if any side is burned:

    delicious vegan oyster mushrooms on a grill

    Best served with hot rice and vinegar sauce  (sinamak):

    freshly grilled vegan isaw on a leaf

    Filipinos love grilled isaw any time of the day, especially for lunch and dinner.

    delicious and warm vegan isaw on a leaf

    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:

    • Mushroom Chicharon
    • Laswa
    • Ginataang Puso ng Saging
    • Mango Float
    • Biko
    • Tofo Sisig
    vegan isaw on a leaf
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    Vegan Isaw

    Take a bite of this light, savory, and nutritious Filipino Vegan Isaw that is totally fat-free and cholesterol free.
    Prep Time1 hr 15 mins
    Cook Time10 mins
    Keyword: vegan isaw
    Servings: 2 -3 people
    Author: Lainey

    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

    **brushing it regularly will speed the process of grilling isaw oyster barbecue because of the oil in the sauce.
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