Dou Dou (豆豆)
These air-fryer king oyster mushroom skewers bring the smoky joy of barbecue to your kitchen any night — 只要把杏鮑菇串好放進氣炸鍋，就能在家享受香噴噴的純素烤串。
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mIswz5hhhjA
🥘 Why This Recipe Works
King oyster mushrooms are the quiet hero of plant-based cooking — thick, meaty stems that soak up seasoning like a sponge and turn beautifully charred on the outside while staying tender within. When you slice them thin and air-fry them, you get that beloved vegan-barbecue texture without a grill, coals, or any smoke filling the kitchen.
The magic is in the double treatment: a quick blanch tenderizes the mushrooms and stops them drying out, while a boldly spiced sauce — soy, tomato, cumin, chilli and a whisper of Sichuan peppercorn — clings to every slice. A handful of ingredients, one air fryer, and under twenty minutes gets you a platter of addictive skewers.
Serve them warm as a snack, a party starter, or piled onto rice for an easy weeknight dinner. They please vegans and meat-eaters alike — proof that “vegan barbecue” is anything but a compromise.
🛒 Ingredients
| Ingredient | Amount | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| King oyster mushrooms 杏鮑菇 | 4–5 large | Sliced thinly into strips |
| Bamboo skewers 竹籤 | 8–10 | Soaked if grilling; fine for air fryer |
| Soy sauce 醬油 | 1 tbsp | For the sauce |
| Mushroom stir-fry sauce 菇類拌炒醬 | 1 tbsp | Adds umami depth |
| Tomato sauce 番茄醬 | 1 tbsp | Sweet-sour base |
| Cumin seeds 孜然籽 | 1 tbsp | Whole, toasted aroma |
| Cumin powder 孜然粉 | 1 tsp | For that BBQ spice hit |
| Chilli powder 辣椒粉 | 1 tbsp | Adjust to taste |
| Sichuan peppercorn powder 花椒粉 | 1 tsp | Gentle numbing warmth |
| Sesame seeds 白芝麻 | 1 tbsp | For garnish |
| Cooking oil 食用油 | 2 tbsp | Helps crisp the edges |
👨🍳 Instructions
Step 1 — Slice the mushrooms
- Slice the king oyster mushrooms lengthwise into thin, even strips.
- Keep the slices roughly the same thickness so they cook evenly.
Step 2 — Blanch and cool
- Drop the slices into boiling water and blanch for 1 minute.
- Scoop them out and immediately soak in ice water to stop the cooking.
- Drain well — this keeps the mushrooms tender and springy.
Step 3 — Skewer them
- Thread the mushroom strips onto bamboo skewers, weaving each strip along the stick.
- Leave a little space so hot air can circulate around the pieces.
Step 4 — Mix the sauce
- In a bowl combine soy sauce, mushroom stir-fry sauce, tomato sauce, cumin seeds, cumin powder, chilli powder, Sichuan peppercorn powder, sesame seeds and cooking oil.
- Stir until the spices are fully blended into a glossy glaze.
Step 5 — Coat and air-fry
- Brush or roll the skewers generously in the sauce so every slice is coated.
- Lay them in the air fryer basket without overcrowding.
- Air-fry at 180°C (356°F) for 10–15 minutes.
Step 6 — Turn and finish
- Turn the skewers halfway through so both sides char evenly.
- Serve hot, sprinkled with a little extra sesame or cumin if you like.
💡 Tips & Substitutions
| Problem / Question | Fix / Answer |
|---|---|
| No air fryer? | Roast in a 200°C (400°F) oven on a lined tray for 15–18 minutes, turning once. |
| Want it milder? | Cut the chilli powder in half or omit the Sichuan peppercorn for a crowd-pleasing version. |
| Mushrooms turning dry? | Don’t skip the blanch-and-ice-water step — it locks in moisture before the heat hits. |
| Out of mushroom stir-fry sauce? | Use a splash of hoisin or a teaspoon of vegetarian oyster sauce instead. |
📊 Nutrition
Approx. 180 calories per serving (2 skewers) — high protein for a plant dish, with most calories from the healthy fats in the sesame and oil. Macros roughly: 6g protein, 14g fat, 8g carbs.
Ingredients
Method
- Slice the king oyster mushrooms lengthwise into thin, even strips, keeping them roughly the same thickness.
- Blanch the slices in boiling water for 1 minute, then scoop out and soak in ice water to stop the cooking. Drain well.
- Thread the mushroom strips onto bamboo skewers, weaving each strip along the stick and leaving a little space.
- Combine soy sauce, mushroom stir-fry sauce, tomato sauce, cumin seeds, cumin powder, chilli powder, Sichuan peppercorn powder, sesame seeds and cooking oil. Stir into a glossy glaze.
- Brush or roll the skewers generously in the sauce, then air-fry at 180C (356F) for 10-15 minutes.
- Turn the skewers halfway through so both sides char evenly. Serve hot, sprinkled with extra sesame or cumin.
🌱 Why This Dish
Skewers — 串 (chuàn) — are the soul of Chinese night markets and street barbecue, where the scent of cumin and chilli draws crowds after dark. In Buddhist vegetarian tradition, mushrooms have long been treasured as a way to bring hearty, satisfying texture to plant-based meals without imitating meat. King oyster mushroom, 杏鮑菇 (xìngbào gū), literally takes its name from its apricot-like aroma and abalone-like bite.
Here it becomes the star of a shamelessly smoky, spicy skewer that fits right into a meat-free menu — proof that vegan barbecue is every bit as festive and delicious as the original.
