Traditionally served on Chinese New Year (Lunar New Year), Buddha's Delight is a bowl of vegan goodness, that's worth eating at any time of the year. Vegetables, tofu, mushrooms and noodles are first stir-fried then braised in a light savoury sauce. Once everything is prepped, this healthy one-pan meal takes less than fifteen minutes to cook.
Place the shitake mushrooms in a bowl and cover with boiling water. Leave to soak for twenty minutes. Drain the mushrooms through a sieve, but keep the water for later. Slice the mushrooms fairly thickly.
8 dried shiitake mushrooms
Cut the tofu into four thick slices. Spread each one with the miso and then cut into chunky cubes. I cut each slice into nine giving me thirty six in total. Toss into a bowl and leave to marinade whilst you prepare the other ingredients.
280 g pack extra firm tofu, 1 tsp brown miso paste
Place the cellophane noodles in a large bowl and cover with boiling water. Leave to soak for 3-4 minutes or according to pack instructions. Drain and rinse under cold water. Meanwhile, dry the bowl and use it to stir the sesame oil into the noodles.
50 g cellophane noodles, 1 tsp toasted sesame oil*
Roast the peanuts with a pinch of sea salt in an air-fryer at 160℃ (140℃ fan, 320℉, Gas 3) for six minutes or in the oven at 180℃ (160℃ fan, 350℉, Gas 4). Alternatively dry fry over a medium heat until toasted all over.
50 g peanuts with skins on
To make the sauce, measure the orange juice in a jug and make the liquid up to 250ml with the drained shitake liquid. Pour a tablespoon of the liquid into a large cup or bowl and whisk in the arrowroot, ensuring there are no lumps. Slowly add the remaining liquid, whisking as you go. Add the tamari and zest and whisk again.
Heat the oil in a wok or lidded cast iron pan over a medium hight heat.
2 tbsp neutral cooking oil
Stir fry the ginger and chilli for thirty seconds.
15 cm knob root ginger, 1 red chilli
Add the arrowheads, carrots and shitake mushrooms and stir-fry for a minute.
2-4 arrowheads, 1 carrot
Add the bamboo shoots, red pepper and baby corn and stir-fry for a minute.
140 g bamboo shoots, 1 red pepper, 175 g baby corn
Add the marinated tofu and fry briefly, then add the sauce. Cook for a minute to thicken the sauce, stirring all the while.
Add the cabbage, stir, then clamp the lid on the pan and allow the vegetables to cook for three to five minutes. They should be al dente, but no longer raw.
1 Chinese leaf (napa cabbage)
Take the lid off the pan, stir everything together, then add the noodles. Stir them into the pan and allow to cook for a further five minutes with the lid on. Everything should be nicely hot with the noodles having soaked up the liquid.
Ladle into bowls and serve hot with a scattering of roasted peanuts.
Notes
Try to get everything prepped before you start cooking. It can get very hectic otherwise.If you prefer something more bulky, serve with rice.Buddhist monks don't eat alliums, so there's no garlic, onions or leeks in this dish.You’ll find additional tips and info about this recipe in the main body of the post.Please note: calories and other nutritional information are per serving. They’re approximate and will depend on serving size and exact ingredients used. Please refer to my nutrition disclaimer for further information.