This past weekend LA-based artist and cook Michelle Jane Lee hosted the first iteration of Landslide, “a multi-disciplinary experience inspired by subtle shifts that remind us the ground below our feet can slide at any moment — towards or away.” It was an intimate evening during which she shared some of her most recent artwork and prepared a special vegan Korean meal.

Landslide is an ongoing series in which Lee tackles the nuances and conflicts that come from being both Korean and American. Each practice, painting and cooking, are an attempt for her to make sense of and pull apart the complexities of her dual identity.

For the dinner, guests were presented with a 10-course tasting menu consisting of traditional Korean dishes conceived of and arranged by the artist.

Read on as Lee shares one of her favorite vegan recipes.

Fire Mushroom with Charred Shishito Peppers

This dish is a vegan play on a popular Korean dish called 불고기 (bulgogi) which literally translates to 불 (bul) meaning fire and 고기 (gogi) meaning meat. Since we are using mushrooms, we are simply calling this dish 불버섯 (bulbeoseot) or fire mushroom.

INGREDIENTS (Serves about four with rice)

8 ounces oyster mushrooms (with stems removed and cut into large bite size pieces)
3 ounces shishito peppers whole
1 – 2 teaspoon olive oil
1/2 teaspoon toasted sesame seeds (optional)

SAUCE

1/3 cup soy sauce
2 tablespoons water
3 tablespoons sesame seed oil
3 tablespoons rice syrup (you can sub brown sugar or regular white sugar)
1/4 medium yellow onion sliced
3 cloves of garlic (thinly sliced or minced)
1 chopped green onion
1/8 teaspoon ground black pepper

DIRECTIONS

1. Combine all sauce ingredients and put aside
2. Heat a large cast-iron skillet over high heat for 5 minutes (you can use a regular pan, but the peppers may not char as much.)
3. Separately toss shishito peppers and oyster mushrooms in olive oil right before adding to pan.
4. Arrange peppers in a single layer in pan, cook undisturbed until skins start to blister and lightly blacken. Turn peppers at this stage and add mushrooms. Cook until peppers just start to blister on the new side and mushrooms start to brown slightly.
5. Add sauce to the pan with mushroom and pepper. Sautée together and cook until onion turns translucent and sauce thickens.
6. Sprinkle with sesame seed and serve with rice.

There’s room for flexibility in this recipe — feel free to use different mushrooms or add other vegetables, tofu or other proteins. Also, you can adjust the sweetness with the amount of rice syrup (or sugar) you use.