Mexican feast

FAJITAS DE CHAMPIÑONES (MUSHROOM FAJITAS)

There’s something captivating about sitting in a Mexican restaurant when a sizzling fajitas platter moves its way through the dining room. Guests hungrily follow their noses as they turn their heads to see the platter find its way to its chosen eater. I’ve ordered plenty of those show-stopper platters, and for some reason, I have found that most times, the show outperforms the flavours on the plate. I want to eat the same flavours that I’m smelling as the dish permeates the room, but that hasn’t always been the case.

For this recipe, we’re going to focus as much on the seasoning and ingredients as we do on the presentation. We’re using hand-shredded oyster mushrooms for this recipe, but feel free to use your favourite mushroom variety to make it extra special. I love serving this dish family-style out of the same cast-iron pan I used to cook it to give that same sizzling effect to wow my guests. Hit the pan with a little lemon juice just before serving, and you’ll be sure to turn heads as you make your way to the table.

Serves 4

60ml cooking oil, plus more for cooking as needed340g oyster mushrooms, shredded113g king½ tsp ground cumin½ tsp mushroom powder½ tsp oregano½ tbsp crushed red pepper flakesSalt and pepper, to taste2 medium peppers, cut into 6mm batons3 medium Mexican squash, cut into 6mm batons½ a bunch of coriander, minced30ml lemon juice1 tbsp black sesame seeds, to garnish3 coriander sprigs, to garnish