Vegan "Roast Pork"

Soak the TVP. Add the TVP slices to a large bowl and cover with hot water. Allow the slices to rehydrate for about 30 minutes or until they are soft.
Drain. Drain and rinse the slices under cold water a couple of times. Squeeze the slices very tightly with your hands to remove as much excess moisture as possible. Set aside.
Make the coconut fat. In a medium mixing bowl, whisk together the tapioca starch, rice flour, coconut milk, water, salt, sugar, and mushroom seasoning if using.
Soak the TVP. Add the TVP slices to the bowl containing the coconut milk mixture and let them soak for about 30 minutes. This step will allow the slices to soak up some of the coconut milk, resulting in a better texture.

Take 3 tablespoons of the coconut milk mixture and transfer it to a small bowl. Next, add 1 teaspoon of annatto oil and 1 and 1/2 teaspoons of tapioca pearls. Stir to combine and set aside.

Prepare your pan. Lightly oil a 3.5x6-inch loaf pan or line it with a sheet of parchment paper.
Heat a steamer. Bring a large pot of water to a boil and place your bamboo basket steamer on top.
Add the first layer. Arrange a layer of TVP slices to the bottom of the pan (feel free to cut them if they don’t fit). Pour about 2 tablespoons of the coconut milk mixture over the slices, just to cover. Steam for 5 minutes. The coconut “fat” should have firmed up.
Add the second layer. Next, to create a layer of fat, pour 3 tablespoons of the coconut milk mixture over the TVP slices and steam for another 5 minutes. This will make the first layer of fat.
Repeat. Repeat one more time with another layer of TVP slices and another layer of coconut milk mixture, steaming each for 5 minutes.
Add the “skin” layer. Finally, pour in the orange coconut milk mixture (including the tapioca pearls) over the last layer of fat. Steam for another 4 minutes.
Let cool. Carefully remove the pan from the steamer and let it cool completely at room temperature before transferring it to the refrigerator for at least 5 hours. After that, you can remove it from the pan and cut it into slices! I usually cut it into thick rectangles as they hold better during frying, but feel free to cut it into large slices or slightly thinner strips.

Heat the oil. Heat about 1/3 cup of oil in a non-stick skillet over medium heat.
Fry. Once the oil is hot, add the vegan pork slices and fry for 7-10 minutes, flipping halfway through frying. Once the vegan pork is golden brown and crispy, remove it from the oil and transfer it to a plate lined with kitchen paper towels to remove the excess oil.

To a non-stick skillet, add the char siu sauce, water, sugar, and five-spice powder. Heat over medium heat and cook for 3-5 minutes or until the sauce has thickened.
Add the fried vegan pork slices and stir to coat. Cook for 2 more minutes, stirring regularly.
Enjoy the char siu pork on top of white rice, quinoa, or use in sandwiches, bao buns, banh mi, etc.
This vegan “pork” can be stored for up to 7 days in the refrigerator.