5 Easy Buddhist Recipes

Looking for five easy Buddhist recipes? A Buddhist diet is usually vegetarian or vegan, since one of the important principles of Buddhism is to not harm any living thing. When you make these easy Buddhist recipes, it's important to respect the ingredients and the people who grew them.

Nuoc leo

You will need:

• two tablespoons tuong (a Vietnamese soybean paste similar to soy sauce)
• one tablespoon each sugar and chopped roasted peanuts
• slices of red chili pepper, to taste

1. Combine the tuong with the sugar.
2. Stir in the red pepper slices.
3. Sprinkle with the chopped peanuts.

Buddha's delight

You will need:

• four dried shiitake mushrooms
• 1/4 cup black fungus (a.k.a. wood fungus, a Chinese dried mushroom)
• one cup water
• vegetable broth
• 1/4 pound spinach, cooked and drained
• two large carrots, peeled and cut into thin slices
• two tablespoons canola oil
• 1/2 teaspoon sesame oil
• one tablespoon each soy sauce and vegetarian oyster sauce
• one teaspoon sugar
• two tablespoons each corn starch and water

1. Soak the shiitake and black fungus in one cup water. Squeeze out and reserve excess water. Slice the mushrooms.
2. Stir-fry the vegetables in the canola oil. Add the sesame oil, soy sauce, oyster sauce, sugar and reserved mushroom soaking water. Add vegetable broth to the water, if necessary, to make 1/2 cup liquid.
3. Boil three to four minutes. Stir in corn starch whisked together with water, then remove from heat and let thicken. Serve over rice.

Buddhist monk's soup

You will need:

• one quart water or vegetable broth
• one medium sweet potato, peeled and cubed
• one pound pumpkin or butternut squash, peeled and cubed
• 1/3 cup mung beans
• 1/2 cup peanuts
• one pound firm tofu, pressed to drain water
• three tablespoons vegetable oil
• one quart coconut milk
• 1/2 ounce cellophane noodles

1. Bring the water or vegetable broth to a boil. Add the sweet potato, pumpkin or squash, mung beans and peanuts. Reduce the heat and simmer for 35 minutes or until soft.
2. Cut the tofu into 1/4-inch strips. Fry it in vegetable oil until the edges are crisp.
3. Bring the soup to a boil again. Stir in the coconut milk, tofu and cellophane noodles. Cook until the noodles are done.

Mock fish

To make the easy Buddhist recipe mock fish, you will need:

• one large baked potato, peeled and sliced 1/4-inch thick
• two tablespoons flour
• vegetable oil
• one sliced onion
• 1/2 pound snow peas
• ten black fungus, soaked and sliced thin
• 1/2 teaspoon each salt and sugar
• 1/3 cup reserved mushroom soaking liquid or water

1. Dust the potato with flour. Fry in oil until crispy.
2. Stir-fry the onion, snow peas and black fungus in two tablespoons of reserved oil.
3. Add the sugar, salt and liquid. Cook until the snow peas are soft, then add the potato to reheat.

Lo han jai (vegetarian stew)

To make the easy Buddhist recipe vegetarian stew, you will need:

• eight dried shiitake mushrooms
• 1/2 cup black fungus
• two to three cups hot water
• one tablespoon vegetable oil
• one small can each water chestnuts and bamboo shoots, drained
• one carrot, cut into thin strips
• three cups napa cabbage, shredded
• two ounces cellophane noodles
• three cups vegetable broth
• 1/4 pound snow peas
• two cups bean sprouts
• one cup drained and cubed firm tofu
• three tablespoons soy sauce
• two tablespoons corn starch whisked with 1/4 cup water
• one tablespoon sesame oil

1. Soak the shiitake and black fungus in hot water. Squeeze out excess water and reserve. Slice the mushrooms.
2. Heat the oil in a large pan. Stir-fry the mushrooms, water chestnuts, bamboo shoots, carrot and cabbage for about four minutes.
3. Add the cellophane noodles, mushroom liquid and broth. Cover and simmer for five minutes.
4. Stir in the snow peas, bean sprouts, tofu and soy sauce. Simmer another two minutes.
5. Stir in the cornstarch mixture. When the stew thickens, drizzle the sesame oil on top.