February 15, 2022
Vegan Sisig
This vegan sisig is my tasty take on the wildly popular Filipinx drinking snack! Dried snow fungus mushrooms are rehydrated and marinated, transforming them into crispy vegan ‘pork’ — then they’re sautéed with vegan sausage and an aromatic blend of onions peppers, chilis, & garlic, and cooked until crisped around the edges. Just like its traditional counterpart, this vegan sisig is rich and savory, with subtle notes of heat and acidity! The perfect bite paired with your favorite beer!
Vegan Sisig
It’s been awhile since I’ve been back to the Philippines (damn you, Covid!), but last time my wife and I were there (it’s been so long, it was before we were even vegan ????), we spent the entire month island hopping and trying different variations of each region’s Sisig. To say we were obsessed is an understatement.
Since then, we’ve made many versions of our own vegan Sisig – some with mushrooms or tofu, or a mixture of both, but this version is my absolute favorite! The snow mushrooms provide the perfect gelatinous texture that you’d otherwise get from the different cuts of pork, while the vegan sausage crisps up impeccably! Eating this reminds me of drinking Red Horse and swimming into the late hours of the night while snacking on Sisig with my family and friends in the Philippines, and I’m immediately transported to my favorite place in the world with some of my favorite memories ????
Grab a drink and let’s get to cookin’ the best vegan Sisig!
what is sisig?
Sisig is a Filipino dish traditionally made from parts of a pig’s face and belly, and chicken liver which is usually seasoned with calamansi, onions, and chili peppers. It originates from the region of Pampanga in Luzon, Philippines
“Sisig” is a Kapampangan term which means “to snack on something sour”. The earliest known record of the word sisig can be traced back to 1732, and was recorded by Augustinian friar Diego Bergaño in his Vocabulary of the Kapampangan Language. Bergaño defines sisig as a “salad, including green papaya, or green guava eaten with a dressing of salt, pepper, garlic and vinegar.”
Sisig is commonly served on a sizzling plate, often times served as pulutan while drinking. Pulutan’s root word “pulot” translates to “pick up”, so sisig has become quite popular as a Filipino drinking snack.
what goes in vegan sisig (plus tips and substitutions)
As I mentioned earlier, I’ve made many variations of vegan sisig, and I find this one to be the most delicious and straightforward. While you may already have many of the ingredients for this recipe in your pantry, here is a list of some of the not-so-common ingredients you’ll need and their substitutions if you’re unable to access them (although I’ve found they’re quite easily available, especially if you have a local Asian Market nearby):
1. snow fungus mushrooms:
Snow fungus, also known as white fungus, silver ear fungus, white wood ear, white jelly mushroom, and tremella from its scientific name, is an edible fungus that grows on trees in Asia. Most commonly, dried snow fungus is provided in stores. The dried snow fungus should be soaked in clean water until soft, and the density of the dried mushroom determines how long the mushrooms should be soaked – although I’ve found 30 minutes to be an overall good soaking time. I find dried snow fungus mushrooms at my local Asian market or on Amazon. If you are unable to find dried snow fungus mushrooms, you can substitute it for equal portions of dried tofu skin (also found at local asian markets and online). Rehydrate and marinate the tofu skins the same as you would the snow mushrooms according to the directions.
2. artificial pork seasoning powder
I can find artificial pork powder (sometimes in a packet called “stir-fry” or “soup” mix) at my local Asian market or on Amazon. Ideally, you want powder and NOT cubes for this recipe, as the cubes are harder to break down. If you’re unable to find artificial pork powder, then you can substitute equal portions mushroom powder or artificial chicken powder, both of which are also found at my local Asian market or on amazon. Additionally, if you are only able to access bouillon cubes, combine 4 cubes with enough warm water to rehydrate the mushrooms or tofu skins – this will create a highly concentrated broth – rehydrate them in this concentrated broth rather than just water. Drain, marinate, and cook according to the directions.
3. vegan egg yolk sauce:
Although it’s totally not necessary, and even not “traditional” until as of recent, I love making egg yolk sauce to drizzle over my vegan sisig – it’s a GAME CHANGER! This recipe by It Doesn’t Taste Like Chicken and this recipe by Hot For Food are my favorites!
4. Calamansi
Where I live, it’s nearly impossible to get fresh calamansi or calamansi juice. If you’re able to access it, definitely use it! If not, fresh limes or lemons work in its place!
How to enjoy vegan sisig
I like to eat my vegan sisig with garlic fried rice or white rice, but you can also enjoy it on its own as a snack or pulutan, accompanied with your favorite beer and friends!
tools you need to make vegan sisig
- Wok
- Colander
- Sizzling plate (not necessary, but totally fun for serving and aesthetic purposes)
more vegan Filipinx dishes to try
next time you’re having a drink with some pals, try my vegan sisig!
I hope you love my vegan sisig as much as I do – it truly has a special place in my heart. If you try this dish and enjoy it, I wanna know! Snap a photo, take a video, or make a story and post it to Instagram, and tag me at @eat_figs_not_pigs and #EatFigsNotPigs. I love seeing your recreations of my recipes!
Til next time, friends!
xo!
Vegan Sisig
Ingredients
- • 3 ounces dried snow fungus mushrooms see recipe notes 1
- • 2 tablespoons artificial pork seasoning powder see recipe notes 2
- • 1 tablespoon white vinegar
- • 1 tablespoon fresh lime juice preferably fresh calamansi juice, if you have access to it
- • 1 tablespoon dark soy sauce see recipe notes 3
- • 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
- • 14 – ounces plain vegan sausage (see recipe notes 4)
- • 1 large white onion diced
- • 2 long green chili peppers or Anaheim peppers, deseeded and diced
- • 1 large red bell pepper diced
- • 1 jalapeño deseeded, deveined, and diced
- • 8 cloves garlic minced
- • 1-6 depending how spicy you want your sisig Thai red chili or fresno chilis, diced, plus more for garnish
- • 2 tablespoons vegan mayonnaise
- • Vegan egg yolk sauce for garnish, optional
- • Fresh minced green onion for garnish
- • Fresh calamansi or limes for serving
Instructions
- Place the dried snow fungus mushrooms in a large bowl and fill with enough warm water that it covers the mushrooms by about 2-inches and rehydrate for 30 minutes (if using broth, see recipe notes #2). Drain and very gently pat dry - it should have doubled in size and feel soft, delicate, and spongy. Using a sharp knife, trim the base of the snow mushroom and discard.
- Chop the rehydrated mushrooms into small bite size pieces and place them back into the large bowl with the artificial seasoning powder, vinegar, and dark soy sauce, and gently toss to coat the mushrooms in the seasonings. Set aside to marinate for 30 minutes.
- Heat the oil in a wok or large skillet over medium-high heat. Once the oil is hot, add the marinated snow fungus mushroom and cook, without mixing, until the mushrooms become slightly crisped around the edges, 5 to 6 minutes. Give the mushrooms a good toss and continue to cook another 5 minutes.
- Reduce the heat to medium, add the vegan sausage and using the back of a wooden spoon or spatula, break it up into bite size pieces. Sauté with the snow fungus mushrooms, stirring often, until heated through, 6 to 8 minutes.
- Next, add the onions, peppers, and garlic, and stir fry until fragrant and just slightly softened, 5 to 7 minutes. Mix in the vegan mayonnaise, tossing to coat the sisig. Cook another 1 to 2 minutes. Turn off the heat and transfer the sisig to a sizzling plate or serve immediately while hot. Garnish with green onion, vegan egg yolk sauce (if using), and more thai chili peppers. Taste and adjust seasonings if necessary and serve with fresh calamansi or lime wedges and enjoy!
Notes
2. I can find artificial pork powder at my local Asian market or on amazon. Ideally, you want bouillon powder and NOT bouillon cubes for this recipe, as the cubes are harder to break down. If you’re unable to find artificial pork powder, then you can substitute equal portions mushroom powder or artificial chicken powder, both of which are also found at my local Asian market or on amazon. Additionally, if you are only able to access bouillon cubes, combine 4 cubes with enough hot water to rehydrate the mushrooms or tofu skins – this will create a highly concentrated broth - rehydrate them in this concentrated broth rather than just water. Drain, marinate, and cook according to the directions.
3. Dark soy sauce can be found at many grocery stores, as well as specialty Asian markets and on amazon. In this recipe, it is used mainly for color. If you aren’t able to get dark soy sauce, you can substitute for 2 teaspoons Maggi seasoning sauce or regular soy sauce
4. Make sure you don’t get sausage that’s flavored – you want plain vegan sausage for this recipe – many vegan sausage links or patties work well in this recipe as long as they’re not flavored or sweetened with maple syrup. Some sausages I’ve found that work best in this recipe are Beyond Meat Brats (NOT Hot Italian), Beyond Meat Breakfast Sausage Classic and/or Hot Links AND Patties, Gardein Breakfast Saus’ge Patties, and Incogmeato MorningStar Breakfast Sausage Links. Out of all brands that I’ve tested this recipe with, my favorites are Lightlife Gimme Lean Veggie Sausage and Impossible Sausage (savory or spicy).
This looks awesome!
This meal turned out really great! I used vegan “pork bites” from Gardein instead of the snow fungus & vegan sausage. Other than that, I followed the recipe exactly and it is so good that I’ve literally had dreams about eating it. Another great recipe by Ashley!