Basic buddhist vegetable dish

8 Servings

Ingredients

Quantity Ingredient
9 -(up to)
12 Vegetables; nuts, etc. (up to)
2 cups Water
3 tablespoons Soy sauce
1 teaspoon Sherry
½ teaspoon Salt
4 tablespoons Oil
1 tablespoon Cornstarch
1 pinch Sugar
3 tablespoons Water
1 teaspoon Soy sauce
½ teaspoon Salt
3 drops Sesame oil; more or less

Directions

1. Select 9 to 12 of the ingredients listed in "Buddhist Vegetable Dish Dried Ingredients", "Buddhist Vegetable Dish Fresh Ingredients", or "Buddhist Vegetable Dish Misc Ingredients", 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.

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.

From <The Thousand Recipe Chinese Cookbook>, ISBN 0-517-65870-4. Downloaded from Glen's MM Recipe Archive, .

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