Made in honor of a friend, this classic fried shrimp po' boy is one of the original recipes on the Vegan Mob menu and is a filling soul food treat. There are three elements to this dish: the vegan shrimp, Tasha's Slaw, and the Creamy Mob Sauce. Give this recipe a go if you're looking to expand your vegan BBQ and soul food repertoire.
Ingredients
- 4 French rolls
- 5 tbsp vegan mayonnaise
Ragin Cajun Fried Shrimp (Serves 4)
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 2 tbsp Creole seasoning preferably Tony Chachere’s Original
- 1 tsp kosher salt
- 1 tsp freshly ground black pepper
- 1 cup water
- 1½ cups panko breadcrumbs
- 2 10-ounce bag frozen vegan shrimp, preferably BeLeaf, defrosted
- Vegetable oil for frying
Tasha's Slaw (Makes 4 cups, serves 8)
- 1 tbsp fresh lemon juice
- 1 tsp freshly ground black pepper
- 1 tsp kosher salt plus more if needed
- 3 tbsp vegan mayonnaise
- ½ head green or white cabbage thinly sliced (about 4 cups)
- 2 carrots shredded on the medium side of a box grater or mandolin
- ½ cup dried cranberries
- ½ cup sliced red onion
Creamy Cajun Mob Sauce (makes 2 cups)
- 1½ cups vegan mayonnaise
- ⅓ cup chili garlic sauce
- ¼ cup ketchup
- 2 tbsp fresh lemon juice
- 2 tbsp Mob Sauce or any barbecue sauce
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F.
For the Ragin Cajun Fried Shrimp
- Whisk together the flour, Creole seasoning, salt, and pepper in a large bowl.
- Add the water in a steady stream while whisking until a batter forms. It should resemble a cake batter with few lumps.
- Put the panko onto a plate and set aside.
- In batches of six, dip the vegan shrimp into the wet batter and remove, shaking off excess batter. Set on the plate of panko breadcrumbs. Using your dry hand, toss the shrimp in the panko to coat all over and create a crust. When one batch of shrimp is coated, place on a sheet pan in a single layer. Continue working in batches until all the shrimp are coated.
- Freeze the shrimp on the sheet pan for at least 3 hours until firm, or overnight.
- When you are ready to cook, in a heavy pot or Dutch oven heat 3 inches of the oil until the temperature reaches 350°F, or until a pinch of flour sizzles when dropped in the oil. Line a plate with paper towels.
- Fry the shrimp six at time, until they are golden brown all over, about 2½ minutes.
- Remove from the oil and drain on the paper towel–lined plate. Repeat with the remaining shrimp. Serve immediately.
For Tasha’s Slaw
- In a small bowl, whisk together the lemon juice, black pepper, salt, and vegan mayo. Set aside.
- In a large bowl, toss together the cabbage, carrots, cranberries, and red onion. Combine with the mayo dressing mixture and toss to coat thoroughly. This is a good time to grab gloves and get your hands in there to mix it up good.
- Taste and adjust the salt, if needed.
- Serve alongside Smoked Vegan Brisket or on top of a po’ boy.
For the Creamy Cajun Mob Sauce
- Mix ingredients together and set aside until you're ready to assemble.
To Serve
- Split open each French roll and toast it in the oven until the bread is warmed through and crusty on the outside, about 7 minutes. Remove from oven.
- When the rolls are cool enough to handle, spread 1¼ tablespoons of the vegan mayonnaise on the inside of each roll.
- Add the shrimp to the rolls and top with slaw and Creamy Cajun Sauce split evenly among all of the sandwiches.
- Sprinkle each with the green onions and close the rolls.
- Serve immediately.