Buddha’s delight

Buddha's delight, also known as "jai" or "luóhàn zhāi" is a classic vegetarian Chinese dish, particularly popular amongst Buddhist monks who follow a vegetarian diet. It is often prepared for special occasions like Chinese New Year or religious festivals and usually incorporates mixed vegetables with tofu, fried bean curd or other vegetarian protein sources.

Credit: Jiwon Kim

• serves

  3

• prep

  4 hours

• cook

  10 minutes

• difficulty

  Easy

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Ingredients

• 2 tbsp canola oil
• 3 garlic cloves, finely grated
• 1 tbsp finely grated ginger
• 3 tbsp red fermented bean curd
• ½ Chinese cabbage (wombok), cut into 5 cm lengths
• chilli flakes, to taste
• 3 tsp cornflour mixed with 2 tbsp water

For the sauce 

• ¼ cup oyster sauce
• 1 tbsp soy sauce
• 1 tbsp rice wine
• 3 tsp sesame oil

For the dried ingredients 

• 12 dried bean curd knots, soaked in warm water for 4 hours or until softened
• 12 dried shiitake, soaked, stem removed, halved (plenty of water as very thirsty)
• ½ cup cloud ear fungus, black, soaked and roughly chopped
• 200 g mung bean vermicelli [not rice vermicelli], soaked for 30 minutes or until soft can be with cloud ear

Instructions

1. Rehydrate and prepare the dried ingredients as according to the ingredients list. Combine the sauce ingredients in a medium bowl and set aside.

2. Heat the oil in a large, heavy-based saucepan over medium-high heat. Add the garlic, ginger and fermented bean curd and stir-fry for 1-2 minutes, or until fragrant. Add the prepared dried ingredients (except the vermicelli) and toss well to coat.

3. Add the wombok, chilli flakes to taste and the vermicelli noodles. Pour over the sauce mixture and cook, tossing for 3 minutes.

4. Stir through the cornflour slurry and cook for 2 minutes, or until the sauce thickens. Remove from the heat and serve.

Photography by Jiwon Kim.

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Cook's Notes

Oven temperatures are for conventional; if using fan-forced (convection), reduce the temperature by 20˚C. | We use Australian tablespoons and cups: 1 teaspoon equals 5 ml; 1 tablespoon equals 20 ml; 1 cup equals 250 ml. | All herbs are fresh (unless specified) and cups are lightly packed. | All vegetables are medium size and peeled, unless specified. | All eggs are 55-60 g, unless specified.

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