Buddha's Delight (Lo Han Jai)
This traditional Chinese Buddhist dish is a flavorful and nutritious vegetarian stew, packed with a variety of vegetables and often enjoyed during Lunar New Year. It features an umami-rich sauce coating tender vegetables and chewy mushrooms.
An original recipe by Forkin
- Total time
- 45 min
- Serves
- 4
- Difficulty
- Medium
- Per serving
- 241 kcal
Allergen information: may contain gluten, sesame, and soy. Always check ingredient packaging if you have an allergy.
Mise en place
Ingredients
Converted for display; the recipe amounts stay equivalent.
Ingredients
- 30 gdried shiitake mushroom, rehydrated, stems removed, sliced
- 15 gdried lily flower, rehydrated, knot tied
- 50 gvermicelli noodle, rehydrated
- 250 gfirm tofu, pressed, diced
- 1 pcscarrot, sliced
- 200 gnapa cabbage, chopped
- 100 gbamboo shoot, sliced
- 100 gsnow pea
- 1 tbspginger, minced
- 2 clovegarlic, minced
- 2 tbspvegetable oil
sauce
- 2 tbsplight soy sauce
- 1 tspdark soy sauce
- 1 tbspvegetarian oyster sauce
- 1 tspsesame oil
- 0.5 tspsugar
- 0.25 tspwhite pepper
liquid
- 1 cupwater
slurry
- 1 tbspcornstarch
- 2 tbspwater
Equipment
wok · small bowls · large pot · cutting board · knife · whisk
The method
Step by step
- 1
Rehydrate the dried shiitake mushrooms and dried lily flowers in separate bowls of hot water for about 20 minutes, or until soft. Squeeze out excess water, remove mushroom stems, and slice the caps. Tie a knot in the middle of each lily flower.
About 20 min
Cook’s note: Mushroom soaking liquid can be strained and used as part of the cooking water for extra flavor.
- 2
Rehydrate the vermicelli noodles in hot water for 5-7 minutes until pliable, then drain and cut into shorter segments if desired.
About 7 min
- 3
In a small bowl, whisk together the light soy sauce, dark soy sauce, vegetarian oyster sauce, sesame oil, sugar, and white pepper for the sauce.
About 2 min
- 4
In another small bowl, mix the cornstarch and water to create a slurry.
About 1 min
- 5
Heat the vegetable oil in a large wok or pot over medium-high heat. Add the diced tofu and pan-fry until golden brown and slightly crispy on all sides.
About 5 min
Cook’s note: Do not overcrowd the pan, fry in batches if necessary.
- 6
Remove the tofu from the wok and set aside. Add the minced ginger and garlic to the same wok and stir-fry for 30 seconds until fragrant.
About 1 min
- 7
Add the sliced carrots, napa cabbage, sliced shiitake mushrooms, and bamboo shoots to the wok. Stir-fry for 3-4 minutes until the cabbage starts to wilt.
About 4 min
- 8
Pour in the prepared sauce mixture and water. Add the rehydrated lily flowers and bring to a gentle simmer.
About 3 min
- 9
Return the pan-fried tofu to the wok. Cover and simmer for 5 minutes, allowing the flavors to meld.
About 5 min
- 10
Stir in the snow peas and vermicelli noodles. Cook for another 2 minutes until the snow peas are tender-crisp and the noodles are heated through.
About 2 min
- 11
Give the cornstarch slurry a quick stir, then slowly pour it into the simmering stew while stirring constantly until the sauce thickens to your desired consistency.
About 1 min
Cook’s note: Add slurry gradually to control thickness; you might not need all of it.
- 12
Serve hot, optionally with steamed rice.
Per serving
Nutrition
- Calories
- 240.6kcal
- Protein
- 9.1g
- Carbs
- 26.3g
- Fat
- 11.7g
- Fibre
- 3.3g
- Sugar
- 3.8g
Estimated from the recipe’s ingredient quantities. Values can vary with brands and substitutions.
Keep it good
Store leftover Buddha's Delight in an airtight container in the refrigerator.
Reheat gently in a pot on the stovetop or in the microwave until warmed through.
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