Buddha's delight
Encyclopedia
Buddha's delight, often transliterated
as Luóhàn zhāi, lo han jai, or lo hon jai, is a vegetarian
dish well known in Chinese
and Buddhist cuisine
. It is sometimes also called Luóhàn cài .
The dish is traditionally enjoyed by Buddhist
monks who are vegetarians, but it has also grown in popularity throughout the world as a common dish available as a vegetarian option in Chinese restaurants. The dish consists of various vegetables and other vegetarian ingredients (sometimes with the addition of seafood or eggs), which are cooked in soy sauce
-based liquid with other seasonings until tender. The specific ingredients used vary greatly both inside and outside Asia.
arhat, meaning an enlightened, ascetic individual or the Buddha
himself. Zhāi means "vegetarian food" or "vegetarian diet."
The dish is usually made with at least 10 ingredients, although more elaborate versions may comprise 18 or even 35 ingredients. If 18 ingredients are used, the dish is called Luóhàn quánzhāi (simplified: 罗汉全斋; traditional: 羅漢全齋).
In China
, Hong Kong
and Toronto
, when served exclusively using only the most flavor-packed vegetarian ingredients, such as pickled tofu
or sweet bean curds, it is known as tián suān zhāi .
s who are vegetarians, but it has also grown in popularity throughout the world as a common dish available in Chinese restaurants (though often not including all of the ingredients) as a vegetarian option. It is traditionally served in Chinese households on the first day of the Chinese New Year
, stemming from the old Buddhist practice that one should maintain a vegetarian diet in the first five days of the new year, as a form of self-purification. Some of the rarer ingredients, such as fat choy
and arrowhead
, are generally only eaten at this time of year.
Transliteration
Transliteration is a subset of the science of hermeneutics. It is a form of translation, and is the practice of converting a text from one script into another...
as Luóhàn zhāi, lo han jai, or lo hon jai, is a vegetarian
Vegetarianism
Vegetarianism encompasses the practice of following plant-based diets , with or without the inclusion of dairy products or eggs, and with the exclusion of meat...
dish well known in Chinese
Chinese cuisine
Chinese cuisine is any of several styles originating in the regions of China, some of which have become highly popular in other parts of the world – from Asia to the Americas, Australia, Western Europe and Southern Africa...
and Buddhist cuisine
Buddhist cuisine
Buddhist cuisine is an East Asian cuisine which is followed by some believers of Buddhism. It is primarily vegetarian, in order to keep with the general Buddhist precept of ahimsa...
. It is sometimes also called Luóhàn cài .
The dish is traditionally enjoyed by Buddhist
Buddhism
Buddhism is a religion and philosophy encompassing a variety of traditions, beliefs and practices, largely based on teachings attributed to Siddhartha Gautama, commonly known as the Buddha . The Buddha lived and taught in the northeastern Indian subcontinent some time between the 6th and 4th...
monks who are vegetarians, but it has also grown in popularity throughout the world as a common dish available as a vegetarian option in Chinese restaurants. The dish consists of various vegetables and other vegetarian ingredients (sometimes with the addition of seafood or eggs), which are cooked in soy sauce
Soy sauce
Soy sauce is a condiment produced by fermenting soybeans with Aspergillus oryzae or Aspergillus sojae molds, along with water and salt...
-based liquid with other seasonings until tender. The specific ingredients used vary greatly both inside and outside Asia.
Etymology
In the name luóhàn zhāi, luóhàn – short for Ā luóhàn – is the Chinese transliteration of the SanskritSanskrit
Sanskrit , is a historical Indo-Aryan language and the primary liturgical language of Hinduism, Jainism and Buddhism.Buddhism: besides Pali, see Buddhist Hybrid Sanskrit Today, it is listed as one of the 22 scheduled languages of India and is an official language of the state of Uttarakhand...
arhat, meaning an enlightened, ascetic individual or the Buddha
Gautama Buddha
Siddhārtha Gautama was a spiritual teacher from the Indian subcontinent, on whose teachings Buddhism was founded. In most Buddhist traditions, he is regarded as the Supreme Buddha Siddhārtha Gautama (Sanskrit: सिद्धार्थ गौतम; Pali: Siddhattha Gotama) was a spiritual teacher from the Indian...
himself. Zhāi means "vegetarian food" or "vegetarian diet."
The dish is usually made with at least 10 ingredients, although more elaborate versions may comprise 18 or even 35 ingredients. If 18 ingredients are used, the dish is called Luóhàn quánzhāi (simplified: 罗汉全斋; traditional: 羅漢全齋).
In China
China
Chinese civilization may refer to:* China for more general discussion of the country.* Chinese culture* Greater China, the transnational community of ethnic Chinese.* History of China* Sinosphere, the area historically affected by Chinese culture...
, Hong Kong
Hong Kong
Hong Kong is one of two Special Administrative Regions of the People's Republic of China , the other being Macau. A city-state situated on China's south coast and enclosed by the Pearl River Delta and South China Sea, it is renowned for its expansive skyline and deep natural harbour...
and Toronto
Toronto
Toronto is the provincial capital of Ontario and the largest city in Canada. It is located in Southern Ontario on the northwestern shore of Lake Ontario. A relatively modern city, Toronto's history dates back to the late-18th century, when its land was first purchased by the British monarchy from...
, when served exclusively using only the most flavor-packed vegetarian ingredients, such as pickled tofu
Pickled tofu
Fermented bean curd also called sufu, fermented tofu, tofu cheese, or preserved tofu is a form of processed, preserved tofu used in East Asian cuisine as a condiment made from soybeans...
or sweet bean curds, it is known as tián suān zhāi .
Tradition
As suggested by its name, it is a dish traditionally enjoyed by BuddhistBuddhism
Buddhism is a religion and philosophy encompassing a variety of traditions, beliefs and practices, largely based on teachings attributed to Siddhartha Gautama, commonly known as the Buddha . The Buddha lived and taught in the northeastern Indian subcontinent some time between the 6th and 4th...
s who are vegetarians, but it has also grown in popularity throughout the world as a common dish available in Chinese restaurants (though often not including all of the ingredients) as a vegetarian option. It is traditionally served in Chinese households on the first day of the Chinese New Year
Chinese New Year
Chinese New Year – often called Chinese Lunar New Year although it actually is lunisolar – is the most important of the traditional Chinese holidays. It is an all East and South-East-Asia celebration...
, stemming from the old Buddhist practice that one should maintain a vegetarian diet in the first five days of the new year, as a form of self-purification. Some of the rarer ingredients, such as fat choy
Fat choy
Fat choy , also known as faat choy, fa cai, black moss, hair moss or hair weed is a terrestrial cyanobacterium that is used as a vegetable in Chinese cuisine. When dried, the product has the appearance of black hair...
and arrowhead
Sagittaria sagittifolia
Sagittaria sagittifolia is a flowering plant in the family Alismataceae, native to wetlands throughout the temperate regions of Europe and Asia; in Britain it is the only native Sagittaria....
, are generally only eaten at this time of year.
Ingredients
The following is a list of ingredients often used in Buddha's delight, each of which, according to Chinese tradition, is ascribed a particular auspicious significance. As the dish varies from chef to chef and family to family, not every ingredient is always used in every version of the dish.Commonly used main ingredients
- ArrowheadSagittaria sagittifoliaSagittaria sagittifolia is a flowering plant in the family Alismataceae, native to wetlands throughout the temperate regions of Europe and Asia; in Britain it is the only native Sagittaria....
(慈菇; pinyin: cí gū) - Bamboo fungusPhallus indusiatusPhallus indusiatus, commonly called in English the bamboo fungus, bamboo pith, long net stinkhorn, crinoline stinkhorn or veiled lady, is a stinkhorn fungus in the Phallaceae family. It has a cosmopolitan distribution in tropical areas, and has been collected in Asia, the Americas, and Africa...
(竹笙, pinyin: zhúshēng or 竹荪; pinyin: zhúsūn) - Bamboo shootBamboo shootBamboo shoots or bamboo sprouts are the edible shoots of many bamboo species including Bambusa vulgaris and Phyllostachys edulis. They are used in numerous Asian dishes and broths...
s (simplified: 笋; traditional; 筍; pinyin: sǔn) - Bean curd sticks (腐竹; pinyin: fǔ zhú; also called "tofu bamboo")
- Black mushroomsShiitakeThe Shiitake is an edible mushroom native to East Asia, which is cultivated and consumed in many Asian countries, as well as being dried and exported to many countries around the world. It is a feature of many Asian cuisines including Vietnamese, Chinese, Japanese, Korean and Thai...
(冬菇; pinyin: dōnggū) - CarrotCarrotThe carrot is a root vegetable, usually orange in colour, though purple, red, white, and yellow varieties exist. It has a crisp texture when fresh...
(traditional: 胡蘿蔔; simplified: 胡萝卜, pinyin: hú luóbo; or traditional: 紅蘿蔔; simplified: 红萝卜, pinyin: hóng luóbo) - Cellophane noodlesCellophane noodlesCellophane noodles are a type of transparent noodle made from starch , and water.They are generally sold in dried form, boiled to reconstitute, then used in soups, stir fried dishes,...
(粉絲; pinyin: fěn sī; also called "bean threads") - Daylily buds (金针; pinyin: jīnzhēn; also called "golden needles")
- Fat choyFat choyFat choy , also known as faat choy, fa cai, black moss, hair moss or hair weed is a terrestrial cyanobacterium that is used as a vegetable in Chinese cuisine. When dried, the product has the appearance of black hair...
(traditional: 髮菜; simplified: 发菜; pinyin: fàcài; a black hair-like cyanobacteria) - Ginkgo nuts (traditional: 銀杏; simplified: 银杏, pinyin: yín xìng; or 白果, pinyin: bái guǒ)
- Lotus seedLotus seedLotus seeds or lotus nuts are the seeds of plants in the genus Nelumbo, particularly the species Nelumbo nucifera. The seeds are of great importance to East Asian cuisine and are used extensively in traditional Chinese medicine and in Chinese desserts. The seeds are most commonly sold in the...
s (蓮子; pinyin: liánzǐ) - Napa cabbageNapa cabbageNapa cabbage , also known as celery cabbage, is a type of Chinese cabbage originating near the Beijing region of China, and is widely used in East Asian cuisine. In much of the world, this is the vegetable referred to as "Chinese cabbage"...
(大白菜; pinyin: dà báicài) - PeanutPeanutThe peanut, or groundnut , is a species in the legume or "bean" family , so it is not a nut. The peanut was probably first cultivated in the valleys of Peru. It is an annual herbaceous plant growing tall...
s (花生; pinyin: huāshēng) - Snow peaSnow peaThe snow pea is a legume, more specifically a variety of pea eaten whole in its pod while still unripe...
s (traditional: 荷蘭豆; simplified: 荷兰豆; pinyin: hélándòu) - Fried tofuTofuis a food made by coagulating soy milk and then pressing the resulting curds into soft white blocks. It is part of East Asian and Southeast Asian cuisine such as Chinese, Japanese, Korean, Indonesian, Vietnamese, and others. There are many different varieties of tofu, including fresh tofu and tofu...
(炸豆腐; pinyin: zhá dòufǔ) - Water chestnutEleocharis dulcisThe Chinese water chestnut , more often called simply the water chestnut, is a grass-like sedge grown for its edible corms. The water chestnut is actually not a nut at all, but an aquatic vegetable that grows in marshes, underwater in the mud...
s (traditional: 荸薺; simplified: 荸荠; pinyin: bíqí) - Fried or braisedBraisingBraising , is a combination cooking method using both moist and dry heat; typically the food is first seared at a high temperature and then finished in a covered pot with a variable amount of liquid, resulting in a particular flavour...
wheat glutenWheat gluten (food)Wheat gluten, also called seitan , wheat meat, mock duck, gluten meat, or simply gluten, is a food made from the gluten of wheat...
(traditional: 麵筋, simplified: 面筋; pinyin: miàn jīn) - Wood earAuricularia auricula-judaeAuricularia auricula-judae, known as the Jew's ear, jelly ear or by a number of other common names, is a species of edible Auriculariales fungus found worldwide. The fruiting body is distinguished by its noticeably ear-like shape and brown colouration; it grows upon wood, especially elder...
(木耳; pinyin: mù ěr; also called black fungus)
Less commonly used main ingredients
- Bean sprouts (豆芽, pinyin: dòu yá; 芽菜, pinyin: yá cài; or 银芽, pinyin: yín yá)
- Bracken fernBrackenBracken are several species of large, coarse ferns of the genus Pteridium. Ferns are vascular plants that have alternating generations, large plants that produce spores and small plants that produce sex cells . Brackens are in the family Dennstaedtiaceae, which are noted for their large, highly...
tips (蕨菜; pinyin: jué cài) - Bok choyChinese cabbageChinese cabbage can refer to two distinct varieties of Chinese leaf vegetables used often in Chinese cuisine. These vegetables are both related to the Western cabbage, and are of the same species as the common turnip...
(白菜; pinyin: báicài) - CauliflowerCauliflowerCauliflower is one of several vegetables in the species Brassica oleracea, in the family Brassicaceae. It is an annual plant that reproduces by seed...
(菜花; pinyin: cài huā) - Chinese celeryCeleryApium graveolens is a plant species in the family Apiaceae commonly known as celery or celeriac , depending on whether the petioles or roots are eaten: celery refers to the former and celeriac to the latter. Apium graveolens grows to 1 m tall...
(芹菜; pinyin: qín cài) - Other types of fungus, including cloud ear fungusCloud ear fungusCloud ear fungus is an edible jelly fungus. It is gray-brown in color and often used in Asian cooking.-Etymology:...
(traditional: 雲耳; simplified: 云耳; pinyin: yún ěr), elm ear fungus (榆耳; pinyin: yú ěr), osmanthus ear fungusDacryopinax spathulariaDacryopinax spathularia is an edible jelly fungus. It is orange in color. In Chinese culture, it is called guihua er...
(桂花耳; pinyin: guíhuā ěr), snow fungusSnow fungusTremella fuciformis is a species of fungus producing white, frond-like, gelatinous basidiocarps . It is widespread, especially in the tropics, and is parasitic on other fungi , that grow on dead attached and recently fallen branches of broadleaf trees. Fruitbodies are commercially cultivated for...
(银耳; pinyin: yín ěr), and yellow fungusTremella frondosaTremella frondosa is an edible jelly fungus. In China, it is called huáng ěr , and sometimes features in the vegetarian dish called Buddha's delight.-External links:** *, containing huang er...
(黃耳; pinyin: huáng ěr; literally "yellow ear") - Red jujubeJujubeZiziphus zizyphus , commonly called jujube , red date, Chinese date, Korean date, or Indian date is a species of Ziziphus in the buckthorn family Rhamnaceae, used primarily as a fruiting shade tree.-Distribution:Its precise natural distribution is uncertain due to extensive cultivation,...
s (traditional: 紅棗; simplified: 红枣; pinyin: hóng zǎo) - Lotus rootNelumbo nuciferaNelumbo nucifera, known by a number of names including Indian Lotus, Sacred Lotus, Bean of India, or simply Lotus, is a plant in the monogeneric family Nelumbonaceae...
(藕; pinyin: ǒu) - Other types of mushroomMushroomA mushroom is the fleshy, spore-bearing fruiting body of a fungus, typically produced above ground on soil or on its food source. The standard for the name "mushroom" is the cultivated white button mushroom, Agaricus bisporus; hence the word "mushroom" is most often applied to those fungi that...
s, including straw mushroomVolvariella volvaceaVolvariella volvacea is a species of edible mushroom cultivated throughout East and Southeast Asia and used extensively in Asian cuisines. In Chinese, they are called cǎogū Volvariella volvacea (also known as straw mushroom or paddy straw mushroom; syn. Volvaria volvacea, Agaricus volvaceus,...
s (草菇, pinyin: cǎo gū), oyster mushroomOyster mushroomPleurotus ostreatus, the oyster mushroom, is a common edible mushroom. It was first cultivated in Germany as a subsistence measure during World War I and is now grown commercially around the world for food. However, the first documented cultivation was by Kaufert There is some question about the...
s (平菇, pinyin: píng gū), and Tricholoma mushrooms (口蘑, pinyin: kǒu mó) - Dried oysterOysterThe word oyster is used as a common name for a number of distinct groups of bivalve molluscs which live in marine or brackish habitats. The valves are highly calcified....
s (蠔豉; pinyin: háo shì) - PotatoPotatoThe potato is a starchy, tuberous crop from the perennial Solanum tuberosum of the Solanaceae family . The word potato may refer to the plant itself as well as the edible tuber. In the region of the Andes, there are some other closely related cultivated potato species...
(马铃薯; pinyin: mălíng shǔ) - QuailQuailQuail is a collective name for several genera of mid-sized birds generally considered in the order Galliformes. Old World quail are found in the family Phasianidae, while New World quail are found in the family Odontophoridae...
eggEgg (food)Eggs are laid by females of many different species, including birds, reptiles, amphibians, and fish, and have probably been eaten by mankind for millennia. Bird and reptile eggs consist of a protective eggshell, albumen , and vitellus , contained within various thin membranes...
s (鹌鹑蛋; pinyin: ān chún dàn) - ShrimpShrimpShrimp are swimming, decapod crustaceans classified in the infraorder Caridea, found widely around the world in both fresh and salt water. Adult shrimp are filter feeding benthic animals living close to the bottom. They can live in schools and can swim rapidly backwards. Shrimp are an important...
(traditional: 蝦; simplified: 虾; pinyin: xiā) - LaminariaLaminariaLaminaria is a genus of 31 species of brown algae , all sharing the common name "kelp". This economically important genus is characterized by long, leathery laminae and relatively large size. Some species are referred to by the common name Devil's apron, due to their shape, or sea colander, due to...
- CornflowerCornflowerCentaurea cyanus is a small annual flowering plant in the family Asteraceae, native to Europe. "Cornflower" is also erroneously used for chicory, and more correctly for a few other Centaurea species; to distinguish C...
buds - Baby cornBaby cornBaby corn or candle corn is a cereal grain taken from corn harvested early while the ears are very small and immature. It typically is eaten whole–cob included—in contrast to mature corn, whose cob is considered too tough for human consumption. Baby corn is eaten both raw and cooked. Baby corn is...
Seasonings
- Chinese cooking wineHuangjiuHuangjiu is a type of Chinese beverage brewed directly from grains such as rice, millet, or wheat. Unlike baijiu, such liquors are not distilled, and contain less than 20% alcohol, due to the inhibition of fermentation by ethanol at that concentration...
(黃酒; pinyin: huáng jiǔ) - GarlicGarlicAllium sativum, commonly known as garlic, is a species in the onion genus, Allium. Its close relatives include the onion, shallot, leek, chive, and rakkyo. Dating back over 6,000 years, garlic is native to central Asia, and has long been a staple in the Mediterranean region, as well as a frequent...
(大蒜; pinyin: dà suàn) - GingerGingerGinger is the rhizome of the plant Zingiber officinale, consumed as a delicacy, medicine, or spice. It lends its name to its genus and family . Other notable members of this plant family are turmeric, cardamom, and galangal....
(simplified: 姜; traditional: 薑; pinyin: jiāng) - Monosodium glutamateMonosodium glutamateMonosodium glutamate, also known as sodium glutamate or MSG, is the sodium salt of glutamic acid, one of the most abundant naturally occurring non-essential amino acids....
(味精; pinyin: wèijīng) - OilOilAn oil is any substance that is liquid at ambient temperatures and does not mix with water but may mix with other oils and organic solvents. This general definition includes vegetable oils, volatile essential oils, petrochemical oils, and synthetic oils....
(usually peanutPeanut oilPeanut oil is an organic material oil derived from peanuts, noted to have the aroma and taste of its parent legume....
, 花生油; and/or sesameSesame oilSesame oil is an edible vegetable oil derived from sesame seeds. Besides being used as a cooking oil in South India, it is often used as a flavor enhancer in Chinese, Japanese, Korean, and to a lesser extent Southeast Asian cuisine.The oil from the nutrient rich seed is popular in alternative...
, 芝麻油) - Oyster sauceOyster sauceOyster sauce describes a number of sauces made by cooking oysters. The most common in modern use is a viscous dark brown condiment made from sugar, salt and water thickened with cornstarch, flavoured with a little oyster essence or extract and some versions may be darkened with caramel, though high...
(simplified: 蚝油; traditional: 蠔油; pinyin: háo yóu) - Pickled tofuPickled tofuFermented bean curd also called sufu, fermented tofu, tofu cheese, or preserved tofu is a form of processed, preserved tofu used in East Asian cuisine as a condiment made from soybeans...
(豆腐乳; pinyin: dòufu rǔ; both red and white) - SaltEdible saltSalt, also known as table salt, or rock salt, is a mineral that is composed primarily of sodium chloride , a chemical compound belonging to the larger class of ionic salts. It is essential for animal life in small quantities, but is harmful to animals and plants in excess...
(traditional: 鹽; simplified: 盐; pinyin: yán) - Soy sauceSoy sauceSoy sauce is a condiment produced by fermenting soybeans with Aspergillus oryzae or Aspergillus sojae molds, along with water and salt...
(老抽; pinyin: lǎochōu) - StarchStarchStarch or amylum is a carbohydrate consisting of a large number of glucose units joined together by glycosidic bonds. This polysaccharide is produced by all green plants as an energy store...
(淀粉; pinyin: diànfěn) - SugarSugarSugar is a class of edible crystalline carbohydrates, mainly sucrose, lactose, and fructose, characterized by a sweet flavor.Sucrose in its refined form primarily comes from sugar cane and sugar beet...
(糖; pinyin: táng)
External links
- Recipe, chinesefood.about.com
- Article about Buddha's Delight
- "What is Buddha's Delight?", by Chelsie Vandaveer
- Article about jai (Buddha's delight) from Honolulu Star-BulletinHonolulu Star-BulletinThe Honolulu Star-Bulletin was a daily newspaper based in Honolulu, Hawaii, United States. At the time publication ceased on June 6, 2010, it was the second largest daily newspaper in the state of Hawaii...
- Buddha's delight recipe
- Detailed article about Buddha's delight (Chinese)