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Prep 30 minutesmins
Cook 15 minutesmins
Total 45 minutesmins
Learn how to make a classic Chinese vegetarian Lunar New Year dish packed with delicious mushrooms, cabbage, tofu, glass noodles, and loads of umami flavor. Buddha’s delight, or lo han jai, will give you a healthy, delicious fresh start to the new year.
Let’s start the Lunar New Year on a clean slate with this Buddha’s delight recipe. If you are looking for a more meaningful way to add more vegetables to your dinner table, this recipe is just for you. This healthy and hearty vegetarian Chinese dish features a medley of vegetables, tofu, and mushrooms tossed in a flavorful, umami-rich sauce.
Our lo han jai features fewer ingredients than the traditional version, but you can easily customize your order using the options below.
Buddha’s delight, or lo han jai in Cantonese and luo han zhai in Mandarin, is a vegetarian dish that is traditionally made by Chinese Buddhist monks. This dish is traditionally served on the first day of the Lunar New Year to purify the body of the indulgences of the previous year. It symbolizes a fresh start and inner peace.
The original dish included 18 ingredients that symbolize the 18 Arhats, the Buddha’s original followers. The most common ingredients include tofu, wood-ear mushrooms, bean-curd sticks, bean-thread noodles, shiitake mushrooms, napa cabbage, carrots, and snow peas. Today, you can mix and match ingredients to create a delicious blend of textures and flavors.
Ingredients
You can find all the ingredients for this Buddha’s delight recipe at your local Asian grocery store. I’ve listed the full measurements and links to all the items I used in the recipe card below.
Dried Ingredients
Dried Shiitake Mushrooms: adds a rich, earthy and smoky flavor with an intense amount of umami.
Dried Wood Ear Mushrooms: add a unique chewy texture.
Dried Lily Flowers: are brownish-yellow buds from daylilies that add an earthy, slightly sweet flavor and meaty texture.
Dried Tofu Skin: is made from soy beans that adds a form of protein to the dish.
Here are the step-by-step instructions for how to make this stir-fried Buddha’s delight recipe.
Soak the dried ingredients in separate bowls, then pour boiling water over them. Rehydrate for at least 25 minutes.
Squeeze the excess water from the lily flowers, shiitake mushrooms, wood ear mushrooms, and tofu skin. Preserve 1 cup of the water from the shiitake mushrooms for the sauce.
Soak the bean thread noodles in boiling water for 3-5 minutes, according to the package instructions. Drain and set aside.
Combine the sauce ingredients and set aside.
Heat oil in a large wok over medium-high heat. Then saute ginger and garlic for 1 minute.
Next toss the carrot, lily flowers, shiitake mushrooms, bamboo shoots, wood ear mushrooms, carrot, and tofu skin for 1 minute.
Next, toss the napa cabbage, snow peas, baby bok choy, and fried tofu for 1 minute.
Add the sauce and cover the wok for 3 minutes.
Add the noodles and toss until the noodles absorb the sauce. Serve the Buddha’s delight immediately and enjoy!
Expert Tips
Rehydrate the dried ingredients for at least 25 minutes. Be sure to rehydrate the ingredients for at least 25 minutes, or until the mushrooms are fully soaked.
Use dried shiitake mushrooms. Rehydrated shiitake mushrooms give the deepest umami flavor and using the soaking liquid adds a burst of extra flavor.
Prep everything first. Before you begin cooking, have all the ingredients soaked, sliced, measured, and ready to go for a seamless cook.
Taste and adjust. Once everything is tossed together, taste and adjust the seasonings based on whether you think more salt, savory, or sweetness is needed.
Storage Instructions
It is best to serve lo han jai immediately, but you can store it in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
Reheat: Stir-fry in a wok over medium-high heat until warmed. Or microwave covered with a paper towel until warmed.
Pairing Suggestions
Buddha’s delight can be served on its own for dinner or with the following pairing suggestions.
Why is lo han jai eaten during the Lunar New Year?
Many families believe that starting the new year with a vegetarian meal brings a clean, auspicious start. This dish also contains ingredients that symbolize abundance and prosperity.
Does it normally contain garlic?
No, traditional Buddhist temple-style cooking does not use garlic, onion, chives, or leeks. But this is your home cooking, and everything tastes better with a little garlic!
What are the “must-have” ingredients?
The most commonly used ingredients for this dish include dried shiitake mushrooms, wood ear mushrooms, napa cabbage, tofu, tofu skins, and glass noodles.
Learn how to make a classic Lunar New Year Chinese vegetarian dish packed with delicious mushrooms, cabbage, tofu, glass noodles, and loads of umami flavor. This dish will give you a healthy and delicious fresh start to the new year.
Soak the dried ingredients. Place the dried lily flowers, shiitake mushrooms, wood ear mushrooms, and tofu skin in separate bowls, then pour boiling water over them, covering each ingredient by about 1 inch. Rehydrate for at least 25 minutes.
Prep the dried ingredients. Squeeze the excess water from the lily flowers, shiitake mushrooms, wood ear mushrooms, and tofu skin. Preserve 1 cup of the water from the shiitake mushrooms for the sauce. Then slice all the ingredients into bite-sized pieces.
Soak the noodles. Soak the bean thread noodles in boiling water for 3-5 minutes, according to the package instructions. Drain and set aside.
Mix the sauce. Combine the sauce ingredients in a medium-sized bowl and set aside.
Stir Fry
Cook the aromatics. Heat oil in a large wok or skillet over medium-high heat. Then add ginger and garlic. Sauté until fragrant, about 1 minute.
Add the tougher stir-fry ingredients. Next, add the carrot, lily flowers, shiitake mushrooms, bamboo shoots, wood ear mushrooms, and tofu skin. Toss for 1 minute.
Add the softer ingredients and sauce. Next, add the napa cabbage, snow peas, baby bok choy, and fried tofu. Toss for another 1 minute.
Add the sauce. Add the sauce and cover the wok for 3 minutes or until the vegetables are softened.
Add the noodles. Add the noodles and toss until combined, about 1 minute, letting the noodles absorb the sauce.
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