Last night I saw a youtube video for a recipe called “New England Clam Chowder“, and it reminds me about 8 years ago when I ate my first clam chowder. Frankly, I have forgotten how was its taste.

But this time, the recipe is a little bit special, since it uses nori and shiitake mushrooms in replacement of the clams, and I just thought that was such a brilliant and clever idea.

Now I have all kinds of awesome ideas about making “sea-stuff” for a vegan like using nori and shiitake mushrooms to make a hoisin sauce! Wow, sometimes one idea can open so many doors.

So I did do some things pretty differently, like instead of 1 cup of cashew, which I don’t like to have that much because 1 cup is quite a lo. I also made the cream a mixture of cauliflower, potatoes, cashew, and almond milk.

Wow, that worked so well because it ended up being really creamy and delicious, and I couldn’t tell there were potatoes or cauliflower!

This is also the first time I’ve worked with fresh shiitake mushrooms, and I have to say, they are like one of the most amazing things ever, so chewy, delicate and they look fantastic. I think I’m going to get a packet each time now!