Tahini Pickled Mushroom Banchan

If you ever been to a Korean restaurant, you’ve had banchan. They’re the little side dishes that come alongside pretty much anything you order—they can be as simple as a little dish of pickles or kimchi, or they can be an elaborate spread of marinated fish, rich eggy pancakes, and vegetables of all kinds. 

INGREDIENTS:

• 3 lb mixed mushrooms (oyster mushrooms, cremini, king trumpet, wood ear mushroom, etc)

• 1/4 cup neutral oil for frying

• 2 tbsp kosher salt, enough to season the mushrooms

• 3 tbsp tamari

• 1/2 cup Chinese black vinegar

• 3 tbsp rice vinegar

• 3 tbsp honey 

• 1/2 cup toasted sesame oil

• 1 cup tahini

• 3 tbsp toasted sesame seeds

• Black pepper

DIRECTIONS:

1. In a large skillet, heat up the neutral oil until smoking and cook the mushrooms until fully cooked.  Season with kosher salt.  Once the mushrooms are fully cooked, remove them out of the skillet and place into a metal bowl.

2. Add Chinese black vinegar, rice vinegar, honey, and sesame oil to the mushrooms.  Use a spoon or spatula to massage the marinade into the mushrooms.

3. Add the tahini until all the mushrooms are well coated, and finish with toasted sesame seeds and black pepper to taste.

4. Serve immediately, or store in an air-tight container in the refrigerator for up to one week.