Say Hello to Coconut Milk Mushroom Adobo (and me)
Classic Filipino dish, fungi twist, a late first read
Guess who’s back in the haus? This Substack really ran on Filipino time, huh? Well, the wait is worth it—and just in time for Araw ng Kasarinlán (Filipino Independence Day) — as we are starting the first recipe off with classic: adobo.
Every family has their own recipe. Every lola swears theirs is the best. I’m not making any big, bold claims here except to say that this version is not only delicious but it retains the rich fattiness of adobo without the meat.
This recipe is adapted from chef Angela Dimayuga’s wonderful book, Filipinx: Heritage Recipes from the Diaspora—specifically their Coconut Milk Chicken Adobo recipe. I swapped out meat for mushrooms, added more coconut oil to compensate for the loss of fat, and added a personal family fave: a whole can of Spite soda. And bingo we hit the jackpot. My mama Jai always put soda (never diet!) in all her meaty recipes so it wouldn’t feel right without it.
Ingredients
2 lbs. of mushrooms (I prefer a mix of maitake, shiitake and/or baby bellas), roughly torn into bite-sized pieces
6 tablespoons coconut oil
2 teaspoons whole black peppercorns
1 teaspoon cracked black pepper
1 teaspoon red pepper flakes
1 shallot, sliced into quarter inch half moons
14 garlic cloves, lightly smashed and peeled (yes, fourteen)
1/3 cup (80 ml) of vinegar (I use Datu Puti, a Filipino vinegar brand, but feel free to use rice vinegar or coconut vinegar)
1/3 cup (80 ml) soy sauce
1 cup (240 ml) unsweetened, full-fat coconut milk
1 can (240 ml) Sprite (if you prefer not to use soda you can swap with around 1/4 cup of brown sugar and 1 cup of water, you can also use just water if you prefer it less sweet)
8 bay leaves (fresh or dried)
1 whole fresh serrano chile
Cooked rice, for serving
Method
In a large Dutch oven or pot, heat about 2 tablespoons of coconut oil on medium heat until hot and shimmering. Working in batches, add the mushrooms (about half) and mixing it with the oil to coat then let them cook, undisturbed for around 3-4 minutes until they begin to brown. Give the mushrooms a stir and flip to cook the other side until brown, another 3-4 minutes. Remove the mushrooms and set them aside on a plate or bowl. Repeat with the rest of the mushrooms (the other half), adding around 2 tablespoons of coconut oil, and transfer to the same plate or bowl. If your pan is too small, you might have to do a third batch. Set aside the cooked mushrooms.
Using the same pot, add around 2 tablespoons of coconut oil and add the garlic, whole black peppercorns, cracked black pepper, red pepper flakes, and shallots. Let them soften until they bloom and release their aroma, around 2-3 minutes.
Add the coconut milk, soy sauce, vinegar, Sprite soda, bay leaves, cooked mushrooms, serrano chile, to the pot and stir to combine. Let the mixture come to a boil. Put a lid on the pot then reduce heat to medium low, and simmer for 30-40 minutes, stirring occasionally. The mushrooms are mostly already cooked before this step, this is just to ensure the flavors seep into the mushrooms and meld together.
Remove the lid, and raise the temperature to medium high and reduce the sauce by cooking uncovered for around 10-15 mins. Stir occasionally until the sauce is thick and velvety (coats the back of a spoon). If the sauce reduces too much, add a tablespoon of water at a time.
Serve over rice and let it soak up the sauce. Kaon na ta!
Please send me pictures if you make this! :)
Imong amigo,
Expo