Dinuguan is a blood stew that may seem unappetizing but reveals to be surprisingly tasty and flavorful. It was one of the dishes that I missed when I became vegan. Back then, I would get slightly offended when someone would say they don’t like Dinuguan because it’s gross. Of course, now that I’m vegan and don’t consume animal products anymore, I could understand why some people couldn’t bring themselves to try blood stews. But, I do think that it’s not the pork blood that made us Filipinos love this dish. We love Dinuguan because it’s delicious and satisfying. So, if we can replicate the flavors, textures, even the characteristic black color, I think Dinuguan can be vegan without losing its traditional essence.
You might think that this recipe has been featured here before, and you are right. This post is the second, improved version. The first one was posted back in 2013 (gasp!) It surprises me that it has been that long since I posted the first Dinuguan recipe. I think it’s about time I upgrade it by making the ingredients shorter and making this vegan version even blacker.
The one thing that makes Dinuguan seem unappetizing is also the same thing that makes this dish uniquely Filipino -its black color. My first version was gray and slightly brown, and reminded me of the color of cement; I wasn’t a big fan. This updated recipe gets its pitch-black color from activated charcoal, which is food-grade charcoal powder from coconuts.
Not so long ago, food-grade charcoal was all the craze and has appeared in trendy food like black charcoal ice cream, pancakes, burger buns, even lattes. But here I was, searching high and low online and brainstorming, ‘what could I use to make my Dinuguan more black?’ Little did I know, the answer was just right under my nose.
But if you’ve never heard of black charcoal in food before, you don’t need to worry. Not only it’s edible, but it’s also beneficial for gut health. It doesn’t taste like anything, and it’s only in the recipe as a food coloring. You can find activated black charcoal at specialty stores, supermarkets, farmers markets, even vegan grocery stores. Here in Manila, it’s available at Landmark supermarkets and my nearby farmer’s market in Legazpi Village Makati. If all else fails and you can’t find it in your neighborhood, most likely you can find it online. With the abundance of coconuts here in the Philippines, I’m pretty sure you’ll find this ingredient for your vegan Dinuguan.
- ¼ cup cooking oil for fying the tofu, reserve about two tablespoons for the saute later
- 2 cups cubed firm tofu
- 4-6 cloves of garlic, peeled, crushed, and minced
- 1 medium onion, peeled and minced
- Pinch of salt
- 2 cups oyster mushrooms, sliced
- 3-5 long green chili pepper or "siling pang-Sigang" (other green chili peppers can be used). Leave them whole but if you want the stew to be spicy, you can chop them in pieces.
- 1 can (about 15 ounces) organic black beans, pureed
- 3-4 tablespoons of mushroom broth powder mixed in 1 cup water, or 1 cup liquid vegetable broth
- 1 tablespoon vinegar, or more if preferred
- 1 teaspoon sugar
- dash of activated black charcoal for food coloring
- Fry tofu in oil over high heat until the tofu is golden brown on all sides.
- Lower the heat and add garlic, onions, and salt. Saute until tender.
- Follow with oyster mushrooms and cook until the mushrooms are slightly tender.
- Pour the broth and black bean puree. Mix well.
- Season with sugar, vinegar, and chili pepper.
- Add a dash of charcoal powder until you reach your preferred black look.
- Mix well and simmer uncovered for 5-7 minutes.
- Adjust seasoning to taste. Add more vinegar if you want it tangier. The vinegar should have mellowed down and the flavors should be savory with a slight sweetness and tang. If you need it to be more savory, add more broth and/or salt.
- Turn off the heat and serve hot with steamed rice or with Filipino steamed rice cakes called "puto".
Get organic black beans if possible. Organic black beans not only will taste better than conventional black beans, but organic will also have better color.
While I think Dinuguan is good all year round, I think it might be a tasty dish for a Halloween party. After all, most Halloween dishes have a theme of being spooky. In this case, it would be pork blood, but not really because it’s vegan. So even if you never had Dinuguan before or if you’re not Filipino, I hope you could at least give it a try for your Halloween gathering. Not only it may seem spooky, but it might also turn your guests’ gums a bit black. Hey, it’s all for good fun and good food!
And if you do try it, please let me know how it goes. I would be thrilled to hear from you and your feedback. You can always leave a comment here or find me on social media, either on Facebook or Instagram. Or better yet, you can leave a comment in the YouTube video of this recipe. I hope you enjoy it. Kain na, let’s eat!
Your very first ingredient kinda threw me off as it reads “¼ cup tablespoons cooking oil.” Upon watching the video, it became clear that you meant “1/4 cup.” Interesting dish. I just might try it, but the amount of oil is a little too much for me so I’ll probably adjust it.
Thank you for pointing that out and sorry for the confusion. I meant 1/4 cup oil meant for frying the tofu. I edited the recipe to clarify that process. You can reserve some of the frying oil to use for sauteing the other ingredients. Hope that makes sense now. Thanks again!