Oyster Mushroom Burger

4 burgers, 60 minutes (+ resting time)

Ingredients

For the pickles:

• 250 g (9 oz) English cucumber
• 1.5 tbsp mustard seeds
• 1 tsp peppercorns
• 5 g (0.5 oz) dill
• 125 ml (0.5 cup) water
• 125 ml (0.5 cup) herb vinegar (e.g. by Byodo)
• 1 tsp sugar
• 1 tsp salt

For the salad:

• 1 small Romaine lettuce
• 100 g (3.5 oz) cabbage
• 3 shallots
• herb salt (e.g. by Byodo)

For the deep-fried mushrooms:

• 250 g (9 oz) oyster mushrooms
• 400 ml (1.66 cups) plant-based milk
• 3 tbsp lemon juice
• 150 g (1.25 cups) flour
• 1 tsp onion powder
• 0.5 tsp garlic powder
• 1 tsp sugar
• 1 tsp paprika
• salt
• pepper
• vegetable oil for deep frying

For the burger sauce:

• 4 tbsp grainy mustard (e.g. by Byodo)
• 6 tbsp vegan mayo
• 2 tbsp brine of the pickles
• salt
• pepper

Also:

• 4 burger buns

Instructions

1. Slice English cucumbers and add them to a jar along with mustard seeds, peppercorns, and roughly chopped dill. Add water, herb vinegar, sugar, and salt to a small pot and let it simmer over medium heat until the sugar is dissolved. Afterward, pour the mixture over the cucumbers. Let the cucumbers cool down to room temperature, then refrigerate them for a few hours or overnight.
2. For the salad, finely shred romaine lettuce, cabbage, and shallots. Add them to a bowl, season with herb salt, and mix. Refrigerate until needed.
3. For deep-fried mushrooms start by preparing the vegan buttermilk. Add plant-based milk and lemon juice to a bowl and let the mix sit for approx. 10 minutes until you can see the milk curdling. In the meantime, clean mushrooms. Add flour, onion powder, garlic powder, sugar, paprika, salt, and pepper to another bowl and stir to combine.
4. Dip mushrooms into the vegan buttermilk, then toss in the flour mixture until they are coated from all sides. Transfer them to a cutting board.
5. Heat vegetable oil for deep frying in a small pot until it reaches approx. 180°C/355°F. You know that it’s hot enough when you can dip a wooden skewer into the oil, and you see bubbles forming around it. Deep fry the breaded mushrooms in batches. Best case, only deep fry 3-4 mushrooms at the same time. Once they are browned and crispy, remove them from the pot and directly drain them on paper towels.
6. For the burger sauce, add grainy mustard, vegan mayo, and some of the brine of the pickles to a bowl. Stir to combine and season with salt and pepper to taste.
7. Halve the burger buns and toast them if desired. Spread a thick layer of the burger sauce on each burger bun and top with the salad, deep-fried mushrooms, and pickles. Serve remaining mushrooms, pickles, and sauce on the side.