We're transforming the traditional Mexican Birria into a spectacular vegan / plant based feast in five mouthwatering ways! We're showcasing the versatility and rich flavors of oyster mushrooms. From classic inspired Birria Tacos, filled with juicy, spiced sustainable, all natural mushrooms that mimic the texture and taste of the traditional meat filling. We dive into comfort food with a soulwarming Lentil Birria Bowl, a perfect blend of hearty protein packed lentils and aromatic birria spices., we'll craft a 'Pulled Pork' style sandwich using our birria mushrooms, offering a vegan twist on a beloved classic. And finally, we'll batter and fry some of our spiced mushrooms to create 'Fried Chicken', serving them in tacos and on their own for an extra crispy, utterly delicious experience. Whether you're a longtime vegan or just looking to explore plantbased comfort food, these recipes will introduce you to the incredible potential of oyster mushroom flavors, textures, and culinary chef craft creativity!

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Tip o' the hat to @andy_cooks for the intro inspo. Aces mate!

Mushroom Birria Base
Ingredients
1.5 Lbs Oyster mushrooms (more or less)
5 6 dried Guajillo chiles
2 3 dried Cascabel chiles
2 – 4 Arbol chile (optional for extra heat)
7 cloves garlic
1 medium onion, quartered
4 ripe tomatoes
1 tablespoon cumin seeds
1 tablespoon coriander seeds
1 teaspoon black pepper corns
1 teaspoon dried oregano
3 4 cloves
1 cinnamon stick
1 lemon, juiced
Salt to taste
3.5 cups vegetable broth
For the Tacos:
500g (about 1 pound) oyster mushrooms, shredded
3 tablespoons olive oil
Salt to taste
Corn tortillas
Vegan cheese (optional)
Chopped onions, cilantro, and lime wedges for garnish

Instructions
Birria Sauce: Toast Chiles: Remove stems and seeds from the chiles. Toast them in a dry pan over medium heat until they start to puff up and release their aroma. Be careful not to burn them.
Reconstitute Chiles: Place the toasted chiles in a pot with boiling water for about 10 minutes until they soften.
Blend Sauce Ingredients: In a blender, combine the softened chiles, garlic, onion, tomato. Blend until smooth. Add left over liquid from soaking the chillies.
Simmer the Sauce: Pour the blended sauce into a pot. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat and simmer for about 20 minutes to allow the flavors to meld. Adjust salt to taste.
Prepare the Oyster Mushrooms:
Cook Mushrooms: In a large oven safe pot, heat oil over medium heat. Add the oyster mushrooms and press a couple times on each side to sear and caramelize. Cook until they're nicely browned and reduced in size, about 10 minutes.
Mix with Sauce: Add enough birria sauce to the cooked mushrooms to coat them generously. Stir well and bring to a simmer for 10 minutes, allowing the mushrooms to absorb the flavors of the sauce. Then cover and pop in a 180C / 350F oven and cook an additional 45 mins. Remove from oven and allow to cool. Strain the mushrooms from the broth (save the broth) and separate according to which recipe you want to do.
Assemble the Tacos:
Mince mushrooms and sauté with diced onion
Heat Tortillas: dip the in the broth and warm the corn tortillas on a skillet
Spoon the mushroom mixture onto each tortilla. If using, sprinkle some vegan cheese on top.
Garnish with a side of broth with chopped onions and cilantro.

Lentils:
1 cup Green speckled lentils
3.5 cups broth/water
2 celery stalks, diced
2 carrots, diced
Teaspoon cumin
Salt and pepper to taste
Bring lentils to a boil then lower to a medium simmer until cooked soft


Crispy Fried Birria ‘Chicken’ Mushrooms
INGREDIENTS:
Birria broth marinated Oyster Mushrooms
3 parts allpurpose flour and 1 part cornstarch (3 cups: 1 cup for one batch)
1 teaspoon white pepper
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon onion powder
1/2 teaspoon salt, or to taste
Juice of 1 lemon
3 cups Plantbased milk
1 cup birria sauce (for dipping or tossing)

Instructions:
Dry Batter: In a bowl, mix together the allpurpose flour and cornstarch. Add the white pepper, garlic powder, onion powder, and salt. Stir to combine evenly.

Wet Ingredients: plantbased milk, lemon juice, ½ cup Birria and mix together

Dip and Coat: Heat oil in a deep fryer or a large pot to 350°F (175°C). Dip each mushroom piece into the batter, TWICE, allowing any excess to drip off.

Fry the Mushrooms: Carefully place the coated mushrooms into the hot oil. Fry in batches to avoid overcrowding, which can cause the mushrooms to stick together and not crisp up properly.

Fry the mushrooms until they are golden brown and crispy, about 35 minutes depending on their size.

Drain: Remove the mushrooms from the oil and let them drain on a wire rack or paper towels to remove excess oil. FRY TWICE

Serve: Serve the crispy fried mushrooms with a side of warm birria sauce for dipping, or toss them in the sauce for an extra flavor kick.