Garlicky Mushroom Tapa

Ingredients

• 250 g (8.8 oz)fresh oyster mushrooms, or other mushrooms of choice
• 45 ml (3 tbsp)sugar
• 30–45 ml (2–3 tbsp)soy sauce
• 10 ml (2 tsp), optionaldark mushroom soy sauce
• 45 ml (3 tbsp)calamansi juice or lemon juice
• 5 clovesgarlic, minced
• 1 headgarlic, minced, for crispy garlic
• 60 ml (¼ cup)distilled white vinegar
• ½red onion, diced
• 5–10 ml (1–2 tsp), to tastesugar
• 1red chilli, sliced
• To tastefreshly ground pepper
• To tastechilli oil sinangag
• To tastesliced tomatoes
• As neededcooking oil

Instructions

1. 1

   Marinate mushrooms

   In a bowl, stir together the marinade ingredients until the sugar dissolves into the liquid. Add the mushrooms and toss to coat them well. Cover and refrigerate for at least 25–30 minutes.

2. 2

   Extend marinating

   If convenient, leave the mushrooms to marinate overnight instead.

3. 3

   Prepare vinegar

   Mix the vinegar ingredients in a small bowl and taste. Adjust to your preference, adding more sugar if you want to soften the acidity, then leave the onion to sit in the vinegar.

4. 4

   Fry crispy garlic

   While the mushrooms marinate, heat a large pan over medium-high heat and add some oil. Add the minced garlic and cook over medium to medium-low heat until it begins to turn golden brown. Turn off the heat, remove the garlic promptly so it does not burn, and set it aside.

5. 5

   Make garlic rice

   You can prepare the sinangag, or garlic fried rice, before cooking the tapa.

6. 6

   Cook the mushrooms

   In the same pan over medium-high heat, add the mushrooms and their remaining marinade. Cook over medium heat for 10–15 minutes, until the liquid has reduced and the sugars glaze and coat the mushrooms. Turn off the heat once the liquid has evaporated completely.

7. 7

   Serve the tapa

   Serve the mushrooms with rice, vinegar, fried rice and sliced tomatoes, if desired. Scatter the crispy garlic over the mushrooms and rice. For a dome-shaped rice portion, pack rice into a bowl and invert it onto a plate.

8. 8

   Finish the plate

   Top the mushrooms and rice with the crispy garlic. Dip the mushrooms in the vinegar and serve with a generous scoop of rice and crispy garlic.

What is mushroom tapa?

Filipino tapa is traditionally cured beef, often served with garlic rice and a fried egg as tapsilog. This vegan version takes its cue from that sweet-savoury, tangy combination, using mushrooms instead of beef.

Oyster mushrooms work well because their folds catch the marinade and their texture stays substantial as the liquid cooks down. The dish is served with seasoned vinegar, tomatoes and garlic rice for a similar contrast of flavours.

Nutrition and macros by portion

The nutrition label shows one serving as written: 195 calories, 9g protein, 42g carbs, 1g fat.

The mushrooms provide some of the protein, while sugar and the rice served alongside supply much of the carbohydrate. Cooking oil and chilli oil contribute fat; serve the tapa with a generous portion of tomatoes and vinegar alongside the rice to add freshness to the plate.

The marinade

Sweetness: Sugar balances the soy sauce and citrus, then helps create the coating glaze as the marinade reduces.

Salty depth: Soy sauce seasons the mushrooms, while dark mushroom soy sauce is optional and mainly adds a deeper colour.

Citrus and garlic: Calamansi gives the marinade a bright, tangy edge; lemon is an alternative. The minced garlic seasons the mushrooms from within the sauce.

Give the mushrooms time

Marinating: Toss the mushrooms until the marinade reaches all their surfaces, then refrigerate for at least 25–30 minutes. An overnight rest is also an option if you want to prepare ahead.

Before cooking: Bring the mushrooms and their marinade to the pan together, so the liquid can season them as it reduces.

Watch the garlic closely

Crispy garlic: Cook it gently in oil until it just starts to turn golden, then remove it from the pan. It can continue darkening from residual heat, so do not wait for it to become deeply brown.

Keep the garlic separate while cooking the mushrooms, then scatter it over the finished dish so it retains its crisp texture.

Reduce to a glaze

Cook the mushrooms over medium heat for 10–15 minutes, stirring as needed so they meet the reducing marinade. The sauce should become concentrated and cling to the mushrooms.

Use the pan and the sauce as visual cues rather than relying only on the clock: the tapa is ready when the liquid has evaporated and the sugars have coated the mushrooms.

Build a balanced plate

Serve the tapa with chilli oil sinangag, seasoned vinegar and sliced tomatoes, as suggested. The vinegar and tomatoes offer a sharp, fresh contrast to the sweet, glazed mushrooms and rich fried rice.

Add the crispy garlic just before serving. Pack the rice into a bowl and turn it out onto a plate if you want the dome-shaped presentation described in the recipe.

Recipe notes & tips

• Taste the vinegar mixture before serving and adjust its sugar to suit your preference.
• Use lemon juice if calamansi is unavailable.
• Treat the dark mushroom soy sauce as optional; it is included for colour.
• Remove the minced garlic as soon as it begins to turn golden to prevent it burning.
• Let the marinade reduce until it coats the mushrooms rather than stopping while it is still watery.
• Prepare the garlic rice while the mushrooms marinate to make serving easier.

Variations

• Choose other mushrooms: Use another mushroom variety if oyster mushrooms are unavailable.
• Swap the citrus: Use lemon juice in place of calamansi juice.
• Adjust the chilli: Serve the dish with more or less chilli oil to suit your preferred heat.
• Deepen the colour: Add the optional dark mushroom soy sauce to the marinade.
• Change the rice: Serve with regular garlic rice instead of chilli oil sinangag.

Common mistakes to avoid

• Short marinating: The recipe calls for at least 25–30 minutes; refrigerate the mushrooms for that full period or leave them overnight.
• Burnt garlic: Remove it as soon as it starts turning golden, rather than leaving it in the hot pan.
• Watery coating: Keep cooking until the marinade has evaporated and the sugars coat the mushrooms.
• Over-reducing the sauce: Watch the pan closely near the end and turn off the heat once the liquid has evaporated.
• Skipping the vinegar taste: Taste it before serving and adjust the sugar if the acidity is too sharp for you.

How to store

Refrigerate leftover mushrooms and vinegar mixture in separate airtight containers and use within 3 days. Reheat the mushrooms in a pan until hot; add the crispy garlic after reheating to help it stay crisp.

Frequently asked questions