Vegetarian Chashu Pork
Experience the rich, savory flavors of Japanese cuisine with this irresistible Vegetarian Chashu Pork recipe—perfect for those seeking a plant-based alternative to traditional chashu pork. Made with hearty seitan, this dish captures the essence of authentic chashu with a fragrant marinade of soy sauce, mirin, sake, brown sugar, garlic, ginger, and green onions. Pan-seared to golden perfection and simmered until the sauce transforms into a luscious glaze, every bite of this vegetarian masterpiece bursts with umami goodness. Ideal as a ramen topping or served over rice, this recipe takes just 20 minutes to prepare and delivers restaurant-worthy results in under an hour. Treat your taste buds to this vegan-friendly twist on a Japanese classic!
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Recipe Information
Ingredients
- 400 g Seitan
- 120 ml Soy sauce
- 60 ml Mirin
- 60 ml Sake
- 50 g Brown sugar
- 3 pieces Garlic cloves, crushed
- 20 g Ginger, thinly sliced
- 40 g Green onions, chopped
- 2 tbsp Vegetable oil
- 250 ml Water
Instructions
Start by cutting the seitan into large chunks, approximately 3 cm thick, to mimic the appearance of thick slices of pork belly.
In a mixing bowl, combine soy sauce, mirin, sake, brown sugar, crushed garlic, sliced ginger, and chopped green onions. Whisk until the sugar has dissolved completely, forming a marinade.
Place the seitan pieces into a shallow dish and pour the marinade over the top. Allow the seitan to marinate for at least 30 minutes, turning occasionally to ensure even coating.
In a large skillet or frying pan, heat the vegetable oil over medium heat. Gently remove seitan pieces from the marinade, reserving the marinade for later.
Sear the seitan pieces in the hot oil until they are nicely browned on all sides, which should take about 5 minutes. Use tongs to turn the pieces carefully to avoid breaking them.
Once the seitan is browned, add the reserved marinade to the pan, followed by 250 ml of water. Bring the mixture to a simmer, then reduce the heat to low.
Cover the pan and let the seitan simmer in the sauce for 45 minutes. Check occasionally, turning the seitan pieces gently to ensure they absorb the flavors and don’t stick to the pan.
After 45 minutes, if the sauce has not thickened, remove the lid and increase the heat slightly to allow the liquid to reduce to a glaze-like consistency, coating the seitan pieces.
Once the sauce has thickened, remove the pan from the heat. Allow the seitan to cool slightly before slicing each piece into thin rounds.
Serve your vegetarian chashu as a topping for ramen or alongside rice. Garnish with fresh green onions if desired.
Nutrition Facts
Calories |
1276 | ||
|---|---|---|---|
% Daily Value* |
|||
| Total Fat | 29.5 g | 38% | |
| Saturated Fat | 4.2 g | 21% | |
| Polyunsaturated Fat | 17.0 g | ||
| Cholesterol | 0 mg | 0% | |
| Sodium | 4766 mg | 207% | |
| Total Carbohydrate | 121.6 g | 44% | |
| Dietary Fiber | 4.4 g | 16% | |
| Total Sugars | 83.2 g | ||
| Protein | 114.5 g | 229% | |
| Vitamin D | 0.0 mcg | 0% | |
| Calcium | 359 mg | 28% | |
| Iron | 10.9 mg | 61% | |
| Potassium | 963 mg | 20% | |
*The % Daily Value tells you how much a nutrient in a serving of food contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
