Basic Buddhist Vegetable Dish Recipes

BUDDHA'S DELIGHT

Steps:

• Soak mushrooms in 5 cups boiling-hot water in a bowl, keeping them submerged with a small plate and turning mushrooms over occasionally, until softened and cool enough to handle, about 30 minutes. Squeeze excess liquid from caps back into bowl and reserve liquid, then cut out and discard stems from mushrooms. Cut caps into 1-inch wedges.
• While mushrooms soak, carefully break bean curd skins in half crosswise, then halve each portion crosswise again. Transfer to a bowl, then add enough boiling-hot water to cover and soak, turning occasionally, until softened, about 30 minutes.
• If using fresh bamboo, trim bottoms of shoots, then halve shoots lengthwise with a sharp heavy knife. Pull off and discard leaves from shoots, then remove any blemishes with a sharp paring knife (don't worry about natural dotted pattern along base of shoots).
• Cover fresh or frozen bamboo with cold water by 1 inch in a 2-quart saucepan and bring to a boil. Boil 2 minutes, then drain in a colander and rinse under cold water. Repeat boiling and rinsing, then arrange bamboo halves, cut sides down, on a cutting board and cut bamboo lengthwise into 1/4-inch-thick slices.
• Soak noodles in cold water to cover until softened, about 5 minutes, then drain in colander and transfer to a bowl.
• Drain bean curd skins in colander. When cool enough to handle, squeeze dry and cut crosswise into 1-inch pieces.
• Halve tofu lengthwise, then cut each half crosswise into 1/2-inch-thick slices.
• Heat oil in a 5- to 6-quart wide heavy pot over moderate heat until hot but not smoking. Add ginger and garlic and cook, stirring, 30 seconds. Add mushrooms, bean curd skins, bamboo, and ginkgo nuts and cook, stirring, 2 minutes. Stir in oyster sauce, soy sauce, rice wine, and sugar and simmer 1 minute. Add reserved mushroom-soaking liquid and bring to a boil. Gently stir in tofu and soybean sprouts, then reduce heat to low and simmer, covered, 15 minutes. Gently stir in noodles and simmer, covered, 5 minutes. Add romaine hearts (pot will be full) and turn to coat, then simmer, covered, until romaine is tender, about 5 minutes.

BUDDHIST VEGETABLE NOODLES

Steps:

• Heat 1 tablespoon peanut oil in a preheated wok and stir-fry onion until translucent. Toss in garlic, ginger, and mushrooms and stir-fry for another minute. Add oyster sauce and 2 tablespoons soy sauce and cook for another 30 seconds. Remove wok contents to a bowl and set aside.
• Heat 2 tablespoons peanut oil in the hot wok and stir-fry cabbage, bell peppers, bamboo shoots, and carrot for 3 minutes. Toss in bean sprouts, sugar, ¼ cup reserved mushroom water, salt, and pepper and cook for 1 minute. Add onion and mushroom mixture, rice wine, and sesame oil and stir to combine well.
• Cook noodles in plenty of water at a rolling boil for about a minute. Drain thoroughly, rinse under cold running water, and drain again. Toss noodles with remaining 1 tablespoon soy sauce and remaining 1 teaspoon peanut oil.
• To serve, place noodles on a large warmed serving platter, spoon vegetable mixture on top, and mix lightly. Garnish with green onions sprinkled over the top.

BUDDHA'S DELIGHTFUL VEGETABLES

Steps:

• Combine sauce ingredients in medium bowl and blend well. Set aside.
• Heat wok or very large skillet. Add 2 tablespoons sesame oil and heat until very hot. Add chili peppers and stir-fry until darkened. Add green onions and garlic; stir-fry 1 minute. Add carrots; stir-fry 4 minutes. Add broccoli and bell pepper; stir-fry 1 minute. Add cabbage and stir-fry 1 minute. Add baby corn and water chestnuts; stir-fry 30 seconds.
• Stir sauce; add to vegetables and mix well. Cover wok or very large skillet and cook until vegetables are crisp-tender. Remove chili peppers. Serve over rice, if desired.

BUDDHA'S FEAST (VEGETABLE STIR-FRY)

Steps:

• In a small bowl, whisk together stock, soy sauce, cornstarch, mirin, and chile paste. Place 1/2 cup mixture in a small bowl. Add tofu, and let sit at room temperature for 30 minutes. Reserve remaining sauce. Fill a large bowl with ice water, and set aside.
• Bring a large pot of water to a boil. If using baby bok choy, cut into quarters lengthwise; for regular bok choy cut into 1-inch dice. Cook for 2 minutes in boiling water. With a slotted spoon, transfer to ice water to cool. Remove from ice water, and set aside. In same pot, cook broccoli florets for 1 minute. Transfer to ice water to cool. Remove to bowl with bok choy. Set aside.
• Drain tofu, reserving sauce. Spray a wok or large skillet with cooking spray, and heat over medium heat. Add carrots and mushrooms. Cook for 3 minutes, stirring frequently. Add tofu, bok choy, broccoli, water chestnuts, baby corn, and garlic. Cook for 1 to 2 minutes. Add reserved sauce, and cook, stirring until it thickens. Serve immediately.

BASIC BUDDHIST VEGETABLE DISH

Steps:

• 1. Select 9 to 12 of the ingredients listed below, choosing some from each category: dried, fresh and miscellaneous. (Although less typical, as few as 4 or 5 ingredients may be used.) Prepare each ingredient, as indicated below. 2. Combine water, soy sauce, sherry and salt. 3. Heat oil. Add selected ingredients, and stir-fry 3 to 5 minutes. (This will take a large pan. If one is not available, cook 3 or 4 ingredients at a time, then assemble them in step 5 and reheat before adding cornstarch paste.) 4. Add water-soy mixture and heat quickly then simmer, covered, until vegetables are tender (about 15 minutes). 5. Blend cornstarch and sugar to a paste with remaining cold water, soy sauce and salt then stir in to thicken. Sprinkle vegetable mixture with sesame oil stir in and serve. NOTE: This vegetarian dish is known as the Feast of Arahats or Food for the Saints the Chinese name is Lo (or Loo) Hon Ji, or Lohan Tsai. It will keep about a week and can be reheated several times without loss of flavor. VARIATION: * In step 4, stir 2 tablespoons Chinese red cheese, mashed, into the water-soy mixture then heat quickly. DRIED INGREDIENTS FOR BUDDHIST VEGETABLE DISH:1/8 pound rice or peastarch noodles (soaked), cut in 3-inch lengths 1/2 cup lily buds (soaked) 1/2 cup dried black mushrooms (soaked), cut in half 2 tablespoons cloud ear mushrooms (soaked) 1/2 cup hair seaweed (soaked) 1/2 cup dried bamboo shoots (soaked), cut in 2-inch lengths 1/4 cup dried chestnuts (Parboiled) 3 sticks dried bean curd, broken in 2-inch lengths and soaked or 1 or 2 sheets dried bean curd (soaked), cut in squares or rectangles 2 pieces dried lotus root (soaked) FRESH INGREDIENTS FOR BUDDHIST VEGETABLE DISH:1/2 cup celery, shredded 1/2 cup green pepper, shredded 1/2 cup mushrooms, shredded 1/2 cup mustard cabbage, shredded 1/2 cup onion, shredded 1/2 cup bean sprouts, blanched 1/2 cup cauliflower, broken in small flowerets 1/2 cup Chinese cabbage, cut in 2-inch sections 1/2 cup snow peas, stemmed 1 cup winter melon, diced 1 cup zucchini, cut in 2-inch slices MISCELLANEOUS INGREDIENTS FOR BUDDHIST VEGETABLE DISH:1 cup canned bamboo shoots, shredded 1/2 cup ginkgo nuts or lotus seeds, shelled and blanched 1/2 cup raw peanuts 5 cakes bean curd, deep-fried 1/2 cup vegetable steak The Thousand Recipe Chinese Cookbook. ©1994 by Gloria Bley Miller.