If I tell you, you can make vegan calamari (with tartar sauce), that would taste like actual calamari and also have the same texture, would you believe me? Well, I guess you have to try it yourself and decide :). The secret ingredient and the vegan’s best friend is the king oyster mushroom. It might require a bit of work in the kitchen, but the process is simple.
The king oyster mushrooms have a meaty texture and boiling them with a nori sheet will transform them in the best plant based alterative to calamari. To make the shape, simply slice them and use the lid of a plastic bottle or a small round shaped cookie cutter to create to hole in the middle. To make the recipe waste free, also fry the middle parts or save them for other recipes (if you already have a future recipe planned).
Serve them as an appetizer or as an complete meal with lemon slices and tartar sauce. The tartar sauce works best with the fishy taste. Replace the mayo with a vegan alternative, and you will easily get the original taste.
For the calamari: 3 king oyster mushrooms 2 cups vegetable broth 2 cups water 1 nori sheet 1 cup flour 1 cup vegan milk 1 tablespoon garlic powder salt & pepper panko / breadcrumbs oil for frying For the sauce: 1/2 cup vegan mayo 1 pickle juice of half lemon 1/2 hand of fresh dill more lemon to garnish Step 1: wash and slice the mushrooms. use a cookie cutter or a plastic bottle cap. remove the middle parts. i don't like wasting food, so i recommend you to cook both the "donut" shapes and the middle parts Step 2: in a pot add 2 cups of vegetable stock, two cups of water and the nori sheet. add the mushrooms and cook for 15 minutes Step 3: start preparing the batter by adding in a bowl: 1 cup of flour, 1 cup of plant based milk of your choice, garlic powder and salt and pepper to taste. place the breadcrumbs on a plate Step 4: start preparing the sauce. chop the dill and the pickle. the mix everything in a bowl Step 5: when the mushrooms are cooked, drain the liquid. and let them cool down for a while Step 6: heat the oil in a pan. take each mushroom, dip it in the batter and then tap each side in panko. then fry until golden Step 7: enjoy 
Ingredients
Instructions
If you liked this Vegan Calamari (with Tartar Sauce) recipe, also try The Asian Wood Ear Potatoes recipe and The Vegan Butter Chanterelle Potatoes recipe.