Vegan Kumpir with Pulled Mushrooms
In winter, as you know, the variety of vegetables that are in season is not exhaustive. Fortunately, we can rely on potatoes all year round: with asparagus and hollandaise sauce in spring, like potato salad in summer or potato soup in autumn and winter. And you know that we could eat potatoes and cottage cheese all year round. Stuffed potatoes are quite similar to these but still allow a bit more diversity, which is why today we want to show you a recipe for vegan kumpir. Originally, kumpir come from Turkey, where they are often filled with couscous, olives, and cheese. Today we're going to show you a version that can be made soy-, gluten- and nut-free so that everyone at the table will be full!
But of course, we still have a few tips for you regarding the implementation: When buying potatoes, make sure you find potatoes that are as large and mealy as possible. The bigger, the better! Of course, the larger the potatoes, the longer the baking time, but larger potatoes also mean more room for stuffing, which we definitely want! However, before we fill the baked potatoes, let's add some vegan butter and vegan sprinkle cheese to the potato's inner and mix it to create a sort of mashed potato. Once this is ready, the filling is added on top.
Of course, you can vary the filling depending on the season and your taste. We have prepared for you a variant that fits all year round. The red cabbage, lettuce, and carrot are for the freshness, and some acidity, provide the pickled onions and the sour cucumbers. The Pulled Mushrooms are our savory component. Oyster mushrooms are especially good for this, and you can "shred" them with a fork, similar to what you may already know from recipes with jackfruit. The shredded mushrooms are then sautéed in a pan with oil and mixed with a little BBQ sauce to taste nice and savory.
But of course, a creamy dip can't be missing from a kumpir! We used Lughurt Natur from LUVE for our plant-based yogurt dip. Like all LUVE products, the Lughurt is made from local lupines (from Mecklenburg-Vorpommern) and supports regional agricultural farming. Besides, it is lactose-, soy- and GMO-free and comes without artificial colors or flavor enhancers. You can find LUVE products at EDEKA, real, Kaufland, in some REWE regions, or at online delivery services and the online store "Vantastic-Foods".
Quick Pickled Onions
Ingredients
- 1 red onion
- 100 ml (0.5 cup) vegan white wine vinegar
- 100 ml (0.5 cup) water
- 1 tsp sugar
- 1 pinch salt
Instructions
Peel and slice the red onion in half, then cut into thin slices. Transfer the onions to an airtight container.
In a small saucepan, combine white wine vinegar, water, sugar, and salt and heat briefly to dissolve the sugar completely. The liquid does not necessarily have to come to a boil for this, but it does not hurt either.
Pour the water-vinegar mixture over the onions, cover with an airtight lid and leave for 24 hours.
Vegan Kumpir with Pulled Mushrooms
Ingredients
For the chum:
- 4 large, floury potatoes
- 50 g (1.75 oz) plant-based butter
- 50 g (1.75 oz) shredded plant-based cheese
For the toppings:
- 100 g (3.5 oz) red cabbage
- 1 carrot
- 1 red onion, pickled
- 4 pickled cucumbers
- 1 romaine lettuce heart
- optional: 5 g cilantro or parsley
For the Pulled Mushrooms:
- 400 g (14 oz) king oyster mushrooms
- 1 red onion
- 1 clove of garlic
- 2-3 tbsp soy sauce
- 100 ml (0.5 cup) vegan BBQ sauce
For the yogurt dip:
- 400 g (14 oz) plain plant-based yogurt (e.g. Lughurt Natur from LUVE)
- 1 red onion
- 1 clove of garlic
- salt
- pepper
Instructions
Preheat the oven to 200°C convection oven. Clean the potatoes (if necessary) and stab them several times on all sides with a fork. Then bake in the preheated oven at 200°C for about 40 - 60 minutes (depending on the size of the potatoes). If you poke the potatoes with a fork, they should turn out buttery soft.
For the vegan yogurt dip, peel the onion and garlic. Finely chop the onion and mix with plant-based yogurt, salt, and pepper. Using a garlic press, add the garlic and stir it in.
Now prepare all the other toppings: Wash the red cabbage and slice it finely, peel and julienne the carrots, dice the pickled cucumbers. Wash the romaine lettuce heart and cut it into strips as well. Optional: wash some cilantro or parsley and pick leaves to garnish.
For the Pulled Mushrooms, clean the king oyster mushrooms with a damp cloth and "shred" them with a fork. Peel and finely chop the onion and garlic. Heat a large frying pan with a little oil and sauté the onion and garlic. Add the mushrooms and now roast for at least 5-10 minutes so that the mushrooms get nice and brown. Add a splash of soy sauce and stir in the BBQ sauce afterward. Leave on the stove for another 1-2 minutes, then set aside.
Tip: If you want to make the recipe soy-free, you can skip the soy sauce.
Take the potatoes out of the oven. Cut them lengthwise and press them together a bit so that there is enough space for the filling in the center. Place 1 tablespoon of vegan butter and 1-2 tablespoons of vegan shredded cheese inside and use a fork to mix both with the potato's soft heart to a mash.
Now, top the kumpir with lettuce, red cabbage, carrot, pulled mushrooms, pickled cucumber, yogurt dip, and pickled onions (and optional fresh herbs) and serve while still warm.
