Today’s dish is a vegan tartare.
I wanted to keep it as Korean as possible in structure and seasoning, but in this case avocado was the one ingredient I could not really avoid. Other than that, most of the ingredients can be replaced with local alternatives depending on where you live.
The key ingredients
dallae(Korean wild chives)
king oyster mushroom
tofu
watermelon
avocado
chopped nuts
Soy sauce , sesame oil
For the allium, I think it is important to use something aromatic with an edible bulb, not just the green part.
For the mushroom, I prefer something mild and not too fragrant. The tofu is also important here.
The tofu is cut to fit the ring mold, about 5 mm thick, then pan fried in sesame oil until golden.
The mushroom is finely diced, toasted in a dry pan, then lightly seasoned with soy sauce diluted with water. After that, it is cooled and gently mixed with watermelon cut into thin matchsticks. The watermelon should keep its shape, so it needs to be handled carefully.
To assemble, I start with sliced avocado in the mold, then chopped nuts, then finely chopped dallae bulbs. A little diluted soy sauce is brushed on for aroma and seasoning, and then the fried tofu goes on top.
Above that goes the mushroom and watermelon mixture, finished with the green part of the dallae or chives.
At the end, I add lemon zest and drizzle a little sesame oil, soy sauce, and lemon juice to taste.
It is obviously not a traditional tartare, and not fully local either, but I wanted it to stay close to Korean flavor logic while still working as a vegan dish.
by WGK_Hyeon