Recipe: Vegan mock duck with kung pao sauce

Saturday was Chinese New Year, marking the transition to the year of the rooster. In celebration, we ate a delicious vegan version of mock duck with pancakes. When reading about Chinese food and scouring recipes with a view to making something vegan-friendly, I discovered that mock duck is a fairly standard thing, with loads of tofu options readily available in both Chinese restaurants and oriental supermarkets.  Here's my take.

Tofu, seitan and tempeh (I'm still not sure which is which!) are everyday ingredients in so many asian recipes which makes it a pretty good option for those following a plant-based diet. And I've used Rekorderlig Spiced Plum Cider instead of sugar or molasses to give sweetness and a fruity tang to this sauce. 

Kung Pao sauce is a standard sauce used for loads of dishes like broccoli or beef, so you could add it to whatever ingredients you like.

Want the recipe? Here goes.

Vegan mock duck with kung pao sauce 

Serves 2

For the sauce:

250ml Rekorderlig Spiced Plum Cider

3 tbsp soy sauce

3 tsp dark soy sauce

1 tsp hoisin sauce

1 tsp ketchup

1/4 tsp white pepper

1 tsp stock powder (I used Marigold vegan bouillon)

1/2 tsp chopped garlic

For the mock duck:

1 tbsp wok oil

1 shallot, finely sliced

1 clove garlic, finely sliced

1/2 tsp red chilli flakes

1/2 red pepper, finely sliced

1/2 green pepper, finely sliced

1 packet marinated tofu

To serve:

Pancakes

Chopped peanuts

Sliced cucumber

1. Put the cider into a small pan and heat until boiling.

2. Whisk the remaining ingredients in a bowl and pour over the boiling cider. Whisk again until you have a smooth sauce.

3. Return to the pan and heat gently. Reduce a little, five to ten minutes on the heat.

4. Heat the oil in your wok over a high heat, then add the shallot, garlic, chilli flakes, peppers. Stir fry for a few minutes until beginning to brown. 

5. Add the tofu to the pan and stir fry for a few more minutes.

6. Add the sauce to the pan, stir well and keep the heat high - you need the sauce to get a good rolling boil up. Stir every so often, making sure nothing is sticking to the bottom of the pan. Cook until the sauce has reduced and thickened - you want it to be sticky - about ten minutes or so.

7. Serve topped with the chopped peanuts, with pancakes for rolling and cucumber for added crunch. Or with rice if you like. 

This is a collaborative post between Oyster & Pearl and Rekorderlig

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