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(Cantonese), is a vegetarian dish well-known in Chinese and Buddhist cuisine. The dish is traditionally consumed by Buddhist monks (who are vegetarians), but it has also grown in popularity throughout the world as a common dish available as a vegetarian or healthy option in Chinese restaurants.
The Buddha’s Delight versions you see outside of China (and even many restaurants within China) simply consist of a variety of common vegetables and maybe some tofu. Every place has its own spin on the dish, and you never know what you’ll get but trust me, this Buddhas delight is one of the most authentic Chinese recipes you will find and it’s actually falls into the easy Chinese recipes category as long as you find all of the ingredients.
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The version I grew up with is very much Cantonese, to the point where Judy had never heard of or tasted our family’s version before joining our family’s Chinese New Year celebrations. To this day, my grandma on my mother’s side or in Chinese, Lǎo lao 姥姥 (who’s in her 90s, sharp as a tack, and still insists on living on her own) stays at home on Chinese New Year day and cooks a small pot of lo han jai for the traditional mid-morning vegetarian meal. If you visit her early enough, there may just be some left. Needless to say, I try to get there early.
My arrival always begins with Chinese New Year greetings and wishes of health, happiness and long life (and of course a red envelope of lucky money). Long gone are the days when I only used to get red packets from her when I was a kid. Once I married, the roles reversed, and it was the elderly’s turn to receive the lucky red envelopes from me and my sisters.
But some things never change, and heading over to the kitchen for a small bowl of rice with lo han jai still follows. Memories abound whenever I step into that apartment, where she’s lived for over 50 years.
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The list of ingredients for Buddha’s Delight is long, and it’s totally up to personal preference which ingredients you choose to use. I figured it would be useful for you all to have a list of ingredients that are typically found in Buddha’s Delight (below). Our recipe only uses 8 of them, but extra ingredients can always be added or subtracted, depending upon availability and preference.
Other vegetables often used include leeks, snow peas, bean sprouts, carrots, and baby corn. Let’s talk about how to make our version.
Heat your wok over medium-high heat, and add the oil and ginger. Let the ginger caramelize for about 30 seconds without letting it burn. Add the red fermented bean curd and break it up with your spatula.
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Add the garlic, the white portions of the leeks (reserve to green portion for later), mushrooms, wood ears, and lily flowers. Stir-fry for 1 minute. Add the Shaoxing wine and stir fry for another minute.
Next, add the Napa cabbage, fried tofu puffs, and bean threads, and crank up the heat as high as it will go. Stir-fry for 2 minutes.
Add the remaining green portion of the leeks, sesame oil, soy sauce, sugar and water or vegetable stock. Stir everything together, cover the wok, and reduce the heat to medium. Cook for 6 minutes, stirring occasionally.
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Uncover the wok and turn the heat back up to high. Add the mung bean noodles, which should soak up most of the liquid. Keep stirring until most of the liquid has evaporated.
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Buddha's delight, or lo han jai, is a vegetarian dish well-known in Chinese and Buddhist cuisine. Use our family recipe for an authentic take on this dish.
Buddhist Vegetarian Stew (lo Han Jai)
Is written and produced for informational purposes only. While we do our best to provide nutritional information as a general guideline to our readers, we are not certified nutritionists, and the values provided should be considered estimates. Factors such as brands purchased, natural variations in fresh ingredients, etc. will change the nutritional information in any recipe. Various online calculators also provide different results, depending on their sources. To obtain accurate nutritional information for a recipe, use your preferred nutrition calculator to determine nutritional information with the actual ingredients and quantities used.
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Bill is the dad of The Woks of Life family. He grew up in upstate New York, working through high school and college in restaurants with his father, a chef. Rose from modest beginnings as a Burger King sandwich assembler to Holiday Inn busboy and line cook, to cooking at the family's Chinese restaurant, while also learning the finer points of Cantonese cooking from his immigrant parents. Specializes in all things traditional Cantonese and American Chinese takeout.A meal provides a moment for meditation by savoring your food and feeling gratitude for nourishment brought from the earth. When you eat the Zen way , you connect with the source of life and the planet.
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For the most part, Buddhists eat a plant-based diet rich in fruits, vegetables, nuts , seeds, whole grains, legumes, and beans with some animal products, like dairy. The Dalai Lama occasionally eats meat when it is offered by his hosts, although the Tibetan spiritual leader is mostly vegetarian, says The Hindustan Times .
Stick to a Buddhist-friendly diet, and you’ll enjoy foods rich in important nutrients , like antioxidants, phytochemicals, vitamins, minerals, and fiber, which may decrease risk of heart disease and diabetes without overeating.
Buddhists eat mindfully with compassion for the source of food. They look for ways to eat sustainably while reducing suffering. And when you need some ideas, try these Buddhist-friendly recipes to eat the Zen way.
Buddhist Friendly Recipes To Try
Over 7.6 million South Koreans practice Buddhism, according to Statista , and temple food has become increasingly popular throughout the country. This style of Buddhist cooking sources from seasonal plant-based ingredients. Try this simple, delicate zucchini dumpling recipe from
In Vietnam, Buddhism blends elements of Taoism , Chinese spirituality, and regional folk religion. This easy Vietnamese Buddhist Monk Soup from My Recipes combines squash, potato, raw peanuts, mung beans, tofu, and noodles with a coconut milk broth—a warming way to enjoy lots of nutrients all in one bowl.
Buddhism continues to flourish across the Himalayas in places like Northern India, Bhutan, and Nepal. The mighty momo is a steamy stuffed parcel from the region. Try these spinach and cheese momos from
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Shojin ryori is the traditional dining style of Buddhist monks in Japan that sticks to an ultra-seasonal menu, eating in harmony with nature’s cycle. Each season produces ingredients to nourish surpluses or deficits associated with that time of year. Try this daikon and green shiso salad from
For a crisp plate from Japan during wintertime. Daikon, also called Japanese radish, adds a light bitterness paired perfectly with bright, minty shiso leaf. If unavailable, you can replace the shiso for mint or basil.
Summer vegetables from the melon family, like tomatoes, eggplants, and cucumbers, have a cooling effect on the body. When summertime comes around, this steamed Japanese eggplant and snow pea r ecipe from
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That cools the body (and only takes minutes to prepare). Add some sugar, salt, shiso, and ginger for a zip of flavor.
(rapeseed) for their gentle bitterness. Butterbur is a shrub used in many Asian cuisines, and according to a study by the US Department of Health this plant has many health benefits.Try this butterbur and egg-stuffed tofu recipe from Kikkomen.
Working from her laptop as a freelance writer, Allison lives as a digital nomad, exploring the world while sharing positivity and laughter. She is a lover of language, travel, music, and creativity with a degree in Chinese language and literature.Today we’re taking you behind the scenes to some of the Tibetan Buddhist nunneries supported through the Tibetan Nuns Project. You’ll see what the Tibetan Buddhist nuns eat and how they prepare their food.
Lo Han Jai (buddha's Delight 罗汉斋)
A collage of food photos from the Tibetan Buddhist nuns, including vegetarian Tibetan momos, top right. The photo on the left is courtesy of Dustin Kujawski. The photo of Tibetan momos in the top right is courtesy of YoWangdu.
The nunneries in India follow a simple vegetarian diet. The nuns’ diet is influenced by Indian food and local ingredients. With your support, their nutrition has greatly improved over the years.
At Dolma Ling Nunnery and Institute, a typical breakfast might be a piece of flatbread, some cooked mixed vegetables, and tea. Lunch is the main meal of the day and is often rice, two kinds of vegetables, dal, and sometimes fruit. Dinner is often a noodle soup and maybe a steamed bun.
Buddha's Delight (jai, Chinese Vegetarian Stew)
The nuns on kitchen duty at Dolma Ling Nunnery and Institute rise just past 3 a.m. to start preparing breakfast for the over 280 nuns and staff at the nunnery. In this photo by Brian Harris,
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