Okara, a byproduct of soy milk (and hence tofu) production, is a nutritious ingredient that works well in mock fish and meat recipes. Thus if you have ever wondered how to make vegan fish then this is a good place to start.
This recipe produces a very neutrally flavoured vegan fish that is suitable in recipes with strong surrounding flavour elements. Think curries, bold citrus flavours, and oily fried dishes.
Homemade Vegan Fish with Okara
When I reference wet okara, I mean okara that has been squeezed by hand in muslin to extract as much soy milk as possible. Because the ratio of liquid to soy waste will vary in this process, I highly recommend weighing your okara and all other ingredients when making this recipe. You can halve the ingredients for a smaller portion.
Ingredients
- 675 grams (3 ¼ cups) wet okara
- 105 grams (¾ cup) vital wheat gluten
- 50 grams (½ cup) soy flour
- 40 grams (⅓ cup) tapioca starch
- 35 grams (⅓ cup) rice flour
- 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
- 2 teaspoons fine sea salt
- 1 teaspoon sugar
- ¼ teaspoon MSG
- Nori sheets
Directions/Method
- Place a plate in a large steamer and heat it to medium-high. Depending on how many rolls of fish you have, you may want an extra tier.
- Mix all of the ingredients except the nori together in a large bowl. Massage with your hands or a wooden spoon until a thick but pliable dough forms.
- To make a large fish piece, overlap two pieces of nori by about ⅓ sheet. Take two cups of the dough and form it into a roll that extends to the edges of the nori when placed across the shortest length of the seaweed. Dampen the nori and roll the mass up into a tube.
- To make smaller sushi sized fish pieces, places ⅓ cup edge to edge on a piece of nori. Dampen the edges and roll.
- To make a medium sized fish piece, place 1 cup on a sheet of nori and press to close to the edges. Dampen nori and roll.
- Place the faux fish pieces onto the plate in the steamer and steam for 45 minutes. Leave the fish to cool, ideally overnight and in the fridge, before using.
- Author: Kip Dorrell
- Makes: 2-3 large pieces vegan fish
- Cuisine: Japanese
I’m so excited to see this!! Thanks for inventing and posting it. I do make my own soy milk and have SO MUCH Okara. I’ve tried okara bread, biscuits, cookies….but need more recipies using it. Could this be used for a London Fish and Chips style recipie?? Just wondering.
Thank you.
Greg
Hi Greg! I know what you mean about having excess okara. I wish people demanded it more so friends would take some off my hands. I’ve not tried battering and frying it yet, so I’m not sure if it would work for fish and chips but there’s only one way to find out…
Is there a way to make this gluten free?
Quite probably, but I haven’t experimented with gluten free options. Please do let me know if you find a suitable alternative to gluten flour that works.
Thank you for sharing this yummy recipe. I’ve made a gluten-free vegetarian version and it tasted great! I’ve substituted the vital wheat gluten with an egg. And have used all purpose gluten-free flour to replace the soy, tapioca and rice flour. I’ve also used monk fruit sweetener instead of sugar, and dashi sauce instead of MSG. I’ve read that we could substitute with guar gum or xanthan gum for a vegan gluten-free version too.
I just tried making this but used chickpea flour instead of soy flour and it turned out well in terms of the texture! It reminded me of the store bought Asian vegan fish you can buy. I know you meant to make it bland, but I didn’t like how it tasted so plain, and wonder if you have suggestions on how to flavour the dough as well to make it taste better and ready to go as is? I did add some kelp powder but otherwise followed your recipe.
Hi Helen,
Good question. This is a very plain recipe that I designed to be eaten with Thai cooking methods. For instance I often deep fry slices of this fish and then cook it with a very strongly flavoured sauce. For additional flavour in the base product, I would consider ingredients like mushroom granules (like little stock granules from Asian markets), vegan oyster sauce, sesame oil, a combination of garlic/white pepper/coriander root or stem pounded into a paste, and/or soy sauce. I have a Chinese cookbook that also adds wakame to its recipe.
Shiitake stem powder would add a bold flavor that will remain distinct from most sauces or broths you may use. When cooking with dried shiitake mushrooms, I prefer to remove the stems for most recipes. I reserve and grind them into powder in a mortar and pestle to add to vegan proteins like this. A little white pepper is a good addition as well.
If you’re looking for something more forward, try an infused oil. Since Kip was aiming for Thai dishes, chili and lemongrass would be fun to try!
Good point about the shiitake powder. One common seasoning ingredient in Thai and Vietnamese vegan cuisine is mushroom stock powder. I chuck dried shiitakes, stems and all, in my Vitamix and make a powder. It isn’t the same as the seasoning granules but, as Nick said, it’s a great ingredient.