Lor Hon Zhai

Lor Hon Zhai 罗汉菜 (Braised Mixed Vegetables)

Tired of the meat laden food that the Holiday season, I cooked up a batch of  Lor Hon Zhai. This popular vegetarian dish that is often served during Chinese New Year (CNY). The name means Buddha's delight and some families eat only vegetarian dishes during the 1st day of CNY - I don't, (too greedy) but I remember my Cantonese grandma (from whom I kind of absorbed knowledge of this recipe) did.
Every family has its own version of this dish; there are as many variations as there are ingredients. Although the preparation is a bit tedious, it is very easy  to cook. Many versions contain fermented red bean curd (南乳) which gives the dish its characteristic red / rose coloured sauce and distinct, savoury, slightly pungent flavour akin to a good blue cheese.

Fermented bean curd (Nam Yue)

I've listed the ingredients below, in the quantities that I used, but if you are fond of say, mushrooms, go ahead and add more. Other common ingredients are snow peas, dried lily bulbs 金针 and gingko nuts). Note the absence of garlic - which is supposed to be verboten in vegetarian food - stimulates and arouses it seems. Oh well.


Ingredients:

• 1/2 head Chinese (Napa) 大白菜 cabbage , cut into large-ish pieces about 2-3cm wide
• 1 large carrot cut into 0.5cm slices

  

  Napa cabbage, carrots and red bell pepper

• 8 dried shitake mushrooms, rinsed and soaked in warm water
• 1 can straw mushrooms, drained, and mushrooms halved
• 1 cup dried black wood ear 木耳, rinsed and soaked in water
• a couple of dried bean sticks 腐竹, rinsed and soaked in cold water, then cut into 3-4cm sections

  

  Clockwise from top left: shitake mushrooms, straw mushrooms, wood ear, bean sticks
• 1.5 cup deep fried tofu squares 炸豆腐, soaked in boiling water, squeezed dry and cut in halves

  

  deep fried tofu puffs

• Cellophane noodles 粉絲 (mung bean noodles), soaked in cold water, cut into 5cm lengths (easier with scissors)

  

  Bean Thread (Mung bean vermicelli)

• 2-3 cubes fermented bean curd 南乳
• salt to taste
• 3 tablespoons peanut oil
• 1 tablespoon sesame oil
• 1 tsp sugar
• 2 cups water

Method:
chuck everything into pot - cook - eat. Really, it's that simple, all the work is in the prep. Ok, for those who want it spelt out:

1. Heat the 2 oils in a large pot
2. Gently fry the fermented bean curd for a few minutes till fragrant - mash it up with a wooden spoon during this time. Be careful, it will spit and spatter
3. Add all the ingredients to the pot, add water
4. Bring to boil, the cover and simmer till vegetables are tender but not mushy. 
5. Season to taste with salt and sugar.
6. Serve with fragrant Thai Jasmine Rice