Buddhas Delight Jai Food

BUDDHA'S DELIGHT (LO HAN JAI 罗汉斋)

Steps:

• Tie a knot for each dried lily flowers, for better presentation.
• Soak the dry ingredients until they turn soft and fully hydrated.
• Cut the bean curd sheet into smaller pieces. Deep-fried briefly (about 15-20 seconds), remove and drain.
• Cut the carrots and bamboo shoots into thin slices.
• Cut the soaked wood ear fungus into the size similar to the carrots.
• Remove the stem of the Shiitake mushrooms. Cut into two for the smaller one, and slice into three or four for the bigger one.
• Keep the water after soaking the mushrooms. Use it as part of the Braised liquid since it is full of flavor.
• Cut the cabbage into large pieces.
• Ladle two tablespoons of vegetable oil into the wok. Stir fry the cabbage until it starts to turn soft.
• Add the Shiitake mushroom, lily flowers, wood ear fungus, black moss, carrots, the fermented bean curd, sugar, the mushroom water, and some additional water. Braise for two minutes.
• Break the deep-fried bean curd into smaller pieces. Lay on top of the other ingredients.
• Add the mung bean vermicelli on top of the bean curd pieces. Braise with the lid on for five minutes or until the bean curd pieces are soft. Add some water if necessary.
• Add the bamboo shoots, button mushrooms, and baby sweet corns.
• Braise until the vegetables are soft, and the sauce thickens. Serve.

BUDDHA'S DELIGHT (JAI)

Steps:

• Soak Chinese mushrooms in about 1 1/2 cups hot water for at least 3 hours, overnight is best.
• Soak dried bean curd sticks, wood ears, and lily buds in warm water for at least 3 hours.
• Soak bean thread noodles and black moss for 10-15 minutes in warm water, making sure the noodles are completely submerged.
• Remove rehydrated Chinese mushrooms from water, reserving the mushroom liquid for cooking.
• Trim tough stems off mushrooms and cut caps in half or thick slices.
• Drain wood ears and cut into bite-sized pieces.
• Drain bean curd and cut into 1 1/2" lengths (roughly).
• Drain lily buds. Snip off tough tips with scissors or cut off with a knife and tie each lily bud into a knot.
• Cut napa cabbage into 1 1/2" pieces (roughly).
• Cut 2 stalks green onions into 2" lengths.
• Combine Chinese cooking wine, soy sauce, vegetarian oyster sauce, dark soy sauce, sugar, and reserved mushroom soaking liquid in a bowl or measuring cup.
• Heat a large pan, wok, or pot over medium-high heat.
• Add neutral-flavored oil to the pan.
• Add sliced ginger and green onions and quickly saute for about 30 seconds.
• Add Chinese mushrooms, bean curd, and wood ears. Mix.
• Add tofu puffs and lily buds. Mix.
• Add the sauce to the pan. Mix.
• Add napa cabbage and mix. Cover the pan with a lid and cook for 4-5 minutes.
• Uncover and add drained bean thread noodles and black moss. Use two utensils to help mix the noodles thoroughly into the ingredients.
• Continue tossing and mixing until noodles are well coated in sauce and the sauce has mostly been absorbed.

BUDDHA'S DELIGHT

Steps:

• 1. Soak the shiitake mushrooms and lily buds in a bowl of warm water for 15 to 20 minutes. Squeeze out the excess water. Discard the stems from the mushrooms and thinly slice the mushroom caps. (For extra mushroom flavor, reserve the soaking liquid and add it to the dish.) Slice the rough black ends off the lily buds and discard, cut the lily buds in half, and pull apart the strands.
• 2. Rinse the bamboo shoots and thinly slice them. Trim and discard the hard ends from the snow peas and cut the snow peas lengthwise. Drain and finely chop the water chestnuts.
• 3. In a large bowl, soak the bean thread noodles in enough warm water to cover for 10 minutes to soften them. Drain, shake off the excess water, and set aside.
• 4. Drain and rinse the tofu, then pat dry with paper towels. Slice the tofu into 1-inch cubes.
• 5. Prepare the sauce: In a small bowl, stir together the vegetable broth, soy sauce, hoisin sauce, sesame oil, and brown sugar. Set aside.
• 6. Heat a wok, Dutch oven, or deep 14-inch skillet over medium heat until a bead of water sizzles and evaporates on contact. Add the peanut oil and swirl to coat the bottom. Add the ginger and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add the mushrooms, lily buds, bamboo shoots, snow peas, water chestnuts, cabbage, and tofu. Add the sauce and the mushroom soaking liquid (if using) and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to a simmer, cover, and cook for 3 to 4 minutes. Remove the lid, add the drained bean thread noodles, re-cover the wok, and simmer for about another 5 minutes, or until the noodles are cooked. (Don't worry if the dish looks a little soupy; the noodles will absorb the remaining broth.) Ladle everything into a deep serving dish and serve hot.