A Buddha's Feast

My version of Lo Hon Chai

As religious as the title may sound, it's not what you think. I literally meant that I cooked Lo Hon Chai, which basically translates to Buddhist Mixed Vegetables. It was Wesak Day on the 1st of May and I went vegetarian cooking this dish to go with some rice. Actually, I forgot the rice and just ate the dish as it is. It doesn't matter, the glass noodles/cellophane noodles was my carb for the meal.

It's a humble meal that's not lacking in flavors. Vegans will love this one as no animals were slaughtered in succession of this dish but I wouldn't know if I killed any bacterias along the way, i don't have microscopic eyes and I am not a Jain :P Anyway, this dish has many ingredients but it is easy to cook. The secret is cooking the most easily wilted vegetables last. I don't have some ingredients to make this a full fledge Lo Hon Chai - i lacked lily roots, lotus seeds, lotus roots and some variations of tofu and I added unconventional veggies like broccoli, zucchini, snap peas and celery. But the result tasted almost the same anyway, I just wished i had the lily roots and lotus seeds. That will be on my shopping list the next time i go chinatown.

Lo Hon Chai Recipe
1 handful of black fungus
8 rehydrated shitake mushrooms, cut into halves if it's too big
1 medium size carrot, sliced
1 medium firm tofu, pan fried on each side
1 handful of snapped peas
8 leaves of chinese cabbage, chopped into bite size pieces
8 big florettes of broccoli, halved
1 medium size zucchini, sliced
1 small canned of button mushrooms
3 large celery sticks, sliced
1 cup of rehydrated cellophane/glass noodles
2 tablespoon oil
3 cloves of garlic, minced
1 inch of garlic, sliced

Seasoning:
2 cubes of preserved bean curd
3 tablespoon soy sauce
3 tablespoon shitake mushroom sauce or vegetarian soy sauce
1 tablespoon sesame oil
3 tablespoon Shiaoxing chinese cooking wine
1 tablespoon sugar
1 teaspoon salt
pepper to taste
1.5 cup vegetable broth, use vegetarian buillion and dilute it in some water.

Method:
1. Heat a pot large enough to contain everything, with oil under medium heat. Saute garlic and ginger until fragrant, before you add your shitake and button mushrooms in. Season with salt and pepper. Add your black fungus and saute for about 3 minutes.
2. After that, add your carrots and chinese cabbage in. Cook until the chinese cabbage wilts a little. Add your seasonings, except the broth. Saute until everything combines nicely.
3. Add broth to get things going and then start adding your tofu, celery and snapped peas. Let cook till it comes to a bubble. Add your glass noodles/cellophane noodles, let it soak some of the broth. Add your broccolli at the very end and let it cook for 2 mins before you shut the heat and serve.


It will taste better tomorrow but your green veggies would look kinda brown and sad by then. Which is why, if you can, try not use any green veggies but use LOTS and LOTS of tofu and root vegetables like lotus roots, then your Lo Hon Chai will be forever appetizing till it's gone :D Serve it with rice if you want or just eat it as it is :)