Buddha’s Delight - Lo Han Jai
Buddha's Delight, also known as Vegetarian Lo Han Jai, is a traditional Chinese dish made with an assortment of vegetables, tofu, and mushrooms simmered in a light, savory sauce, embodying the principles of Buddhist vegetarian cooking.
Ingredients
- 3 14 oz firm tofu, medium blocks, cut into squares and deep fried (or air fried at 400 degrees for 20 minutes)
- 3 Tbsp avocado oil, or any neutral oil
- 2 large shallots, thinly sliced
- 2 Tbsp garlic, chopped
- 1 cup shiitake mushroom, dry, soaked in 1 ½ cups warm water for 30 minutes, until softened (save water to use for later), sliced
- ¼ cup wood ear mushroom, dried, soaked in warm water for 15 minutes, until softened, sliced
- 8 oz. button mushrooms, cut in half
- 15 oz straw mushrooms, can, drained
- ¼ cup vegan fish sauce, for the vegetables, plus 2 Tbsp (for the mushrooms)
- 3 cups carrots, cut ½ inch thick
- 2 chayotes, cut into one inch pieces
- 6 daikon, inch-long, cut into one inch pieces
- 3 cups green beans, cut in halves
- 1 cup lily flowers, soaked in warm water for 30 minutes, until softened
- 1 bundle bean thread vermicelli noodles, soaked in warm water for 10 minutes, until softened, cut into one inch strands
- 3 bean curd sticks, soaked in warm water for 45 minutes, until softened, then cut in one inch pieces
- ½ head cabbage, cut in one inch pieces
- 14 oz sliced bamboo shoots, can, drained
- 14 oz baby corn, can, drained
- 2 Tbsp sugar
- ¼ cup maggi seasoning
- 2 Tbsp mushroom powder
- 1 tsp kosher salt
- 2 Tbsp chili bean sauce , or bean paste, optional
Garnish:
- Cilantro, chopped
- Green onions, chopped
Instructions
- In a pot, add oil over medium high heat. Add shallots and garlic into the pot and cook for one minute until they are soft. Add mushrooms and 2 Tbsp vegan fish sauce and stir fry until the mushrooms are coated evenly. Then add water from soaked shiitake mushrooms. Cook mushrooms until the water evaporates, approximately 10 minutes. Stir occasionally.
- Add carrots, chayotes and daikon and thoroughly combine them. Turn heat down to medium low, cover with a lid and cook for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. After 10 mins, remove lid, turn heat up to medium high, then add remaining ingredients including the ¼ cup vegan fish sauce, except for the tofu, and thoroughly toss all the vegetables together until coated evenly. Lastly, add the tofu and gently mix together. Then put lid back on, turn heat to medium low, and cook for another 10 minutes.
- Serve with steamed rice and garnish with green onions and cilantro
Nutrition
Serving: 1portion | Calories: 452kcal | Carbohydrates: 84g | Protein: 18g | Fat: 10g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 5g | Sodium: 2105mg | Potassium: 1848mg | Fiber: 18g | Sugar: 29g | Vitamin A: 11330IU | Vitamin C: 125mg | Calcium: 229mg | Iron: 6mg
Equipment
- 9 quart pot