Buddha`s delight is an extremely subtle and very delicate cuisine. This special dish is called Buddha’s delight because it’s completely vegetarian, and it is all about the texture. Finding the right ingredients for preparing it is a challenge, but it’s worth the effort when you see the smile and delight of the people who are tasting it. Mainly prepared with fresh vegetables, this recipe is sublime. It is better not to use canned vegetables, but frozen ones may serve the purpose. Traditional Buddha’s delight doesn’t include garlic, but garlic does make a difference to the taste and flavor, when used in the preparation of Buddha`s delight. The recipe can be served as a fabulous vegetarian main course.
The origin:
The dish originated in China, and probably gained popularity with the spread of Buddhism.
The name itself suggests that it is a traditional dish, enjoyed by the Buddhists, who are mostly vegetarian. The dish is a popular cuisine now-a-days, as one of the vegetarian recipes available in Chinese eateries. The dish is traditionally served in Chinese households during the first five days of the Chinese new-year, as a part of purifying ones soul.
The cuisine:
The dish is prepared from at least 10 ingredients, and the more illustrious versions may comprise of 18 to 35 ingredients. Some versions of this are also cooked with eggs or some sea-foods too.The dish is exotic and very subtle. Though a vegetarian dish, it is extremely nutritious and awesome in its texture too.
Ingredients:
Chinese tradition and cooking are very much symbolic and philosophical. Buddha`s delight is no exception, with all its ingredients being ascribed to some auspicious significance. The ingredients vary with the different version of the dish as, each family or chef has their own signature style of preparing it.
The commonly used ingredients are:
1. Arrowhead
2. Bamboo fungus
3. Bamboo shoots
4. Bean curd sticks (called “tofu bamboo”)
5. Black mushrooms
6. Carrot
7. Cellophane noodles (also called “bean threads”)
8. Daylily buds (; also called “golden needles”)
9. Fat choy (a black hair-like cyanobacteria)
10. Ginkgo nuts
11. Lotus seeds
12. Napa cabbage
13. Peanuts
14. Snow peas
15. Fried tofu
16. Water chestnuts
17. Fried or braised wheat gluten
18. Wood ear (also called black fungus)
Some ingredients which are not used so often:
1. Bean sprouts
2. Bracken fern tips
3. Bok choy
4. Cauliflower
5. Chinese celery
6. Other types of fungus, including cloud ear fungus, elm ear fungus , osmanthus ear fungus, snow fungus, and yellow fungus
7. Red jujubes
8. Lotus root
9. Other types of mushrooms, including straw mushrooms, oyster mushrooms , and Tricholoma mushrooms
10. Dried oysters
11. Potato
12. Quail eggs
13. Shrimp
14. Laminaria
15. Cornflower buds
16. Baby corn
For Seasoning:
1. Chinese cooking wine
2. Garlic
3. Ginger
4. Monosodium glutamate
5. Oil (usually peanut, and/or sesame)
6. Oyster sauce
7. Pickled tofu
8. Salt
9. Soy sauce
10. Starch
11. Sugar
Preparation:
1. Mushrooms are soaked in boiling hot water until they are soft enough. Excess liquid is squeezed out and collected in a bowl. The stems of the mushrooms are discarded after cutting them off. One inch wedges are cut-off from the caps.
2. Bean curd skins are broken and cut cross wise and into halves, when the mushrooms are soaked. Then these bean curds and skins are softened by dipping them in boiling hot water.
3. Bamboo shoots are trimmed and cleaned of any leaves or blemishes. Then they are cut into half lengthwise.
4. Bamboo is boiled and rinsed in cold water. The process is repeated for a number of times before they are cut lengthwise into certain thickness.
5. Noodles are soaked in cold water till soft.
6. Drain bean curd skins in colander. Squeeze dry and cut crosswise into 1-inch pieces when it has cooled down.
7. Halve tofu lengthwise, then cut each half crosswise into 1/2-inch-thick slices.
8. Heat oil in a wide heavy pot over moderate heat until hot, do not overheat the oil .
9. Add ginger and garlic and stirring till they are brownish.
10. Add mushrooms, bamboo, ginkgo nuts, bean curd skins, and cook, stir the contents till they are slightly brown.
11. Add in oyster sauce, soy sauce, rice wine, and sugar and cook in simmer flame for some time.
12. The reserved mushroom-soaking liquid is then added and boiled it for some time.
13. Gently stir in tofu and soybean sprouts, then reduce heat to low and simmer, covered, 15 minutes.
14. Gently stir in noodles and simmer, covered, 5 minutes. Boil it for some more time and then keep the lid closed.
15. Serve hot.
Why should you try it?
Buddha`s delight is an extremely low calorie, low fat, low carbohydrate food, which has all the ingredients for a healthy food and a balanced diet. The food has the right amount of fat, protein, carbohydrate, dietary fibers to keep you healthy and fit. Also, the vegetables and other ingredients used are a rich source of minerals and other essential vitamins. Buddha`s delight is also a delight for the taste buds.