Lo Han Jai (Buddha's Delight 罗汉斋)
Lo Han Jai is THE vegetarian dish that makes it to every Lunar New Year. It's slow cooked until moist then drizzled with a smooth tangy sauce!
- Prep time
- 2 hr
- Cook time
- 35 min
- Yield
- 10 servings
- Difficulty
- HARD
Ingredients
Quantities are shown as originally provided.
- 1 kg / 2.2 lb daikon
- 400 g / 0.88 lb carrots ((shredded))
- 500 g / 1.1 lb napa cabbage ((sliced))
- 400 g / 0.88 lb king oyster mushrooms ((sliced))
- 300 g / 0.66 lb oyster mushrooms ((sliced))
- 200 g / 0.44 lb fried tofu ((sliced))
- 1 bean curd sheet
- 10 shiitake mushrooms
- 20 g / 0.04 lb bamboo pith
- 20 g / 0.04 lb black moss
- 25 g / 0.04 lb woodear mushroom
- 50 g / 0.04 lb green bean thread
- 250 g / 0.49 lb red fermented bean curd
- 3 tbsp vegetarian soup base
- 3 tbsp salt ((or to taste))
- 3 tbsp sugar ((or to taste))
- 4 tbsp cooking oil ((plus extra oil for frying))
- 3 L / 12.6 US cup water
- 5 tbsp fermented white bean curd
- 5 tbsp sugar ((or to taste))
- 1/2 lime's juice ((or to taste))
Instructions
- 1
To begin, bring the water to a boil in a large pot.
- 2
Meanwhile, take 3 cubes of red fermented tofu and mash it with your chopsticks. You will be doing this step before cooking each fresh ingredient.
- 3
Heat up a wok and add 1 tbsp oil. Add the mashed red fermented tofu, stir for 10 seconds.
- 4
Toss in the shiitake mushrooms along with 2 tsp vegetarian soup base and mix for 30 seconds.
- 5
Pour in the cooked mushrooms into the pot of water.
- 6
Repeat steps 2-5 for all the other fresh ingredients, one ingredient at a time.
- 7
In a new pot or saucepan, pour 2 cups oil into a wok and fry the bean curd sheets for no longer than 3 seconds on each side.
- 8
Quickly flip using chopsticks or tongs. With the searing heat, they will immediately puff up.Note: We like to use a large pot to prevent the hot oil from spraying onto us.
- 9
Repeat the bean burd sheets frying process with the green bean threads.
- 10
Add all of the fried and rehydrated ingredients one layer at a time.
- 11
Mash up the remaining cubes of red fermented bean paste in the jar and pour all the contents into the pot.
- 12
Stir gently and season with the salt, vegetarian soup base and sugar. Simmer for 30 minutes minimum.
- 13
Mash the white fermented bean curd until it forms a paste.
- 14
Mix in the sugar and lime juice.
- 15
Drizzle on top of the Lo Han Jai and enjoy Lunar New Year’s Day with your family!