Buddha's Delight (罗汉斋, Loh Hon Jai) - My mother-in-law's 60-year-old recipe review!

Soak the dried shiitake mushrooms, wood ear fungus, lily flowers, and mung bean noodles with water until fully hydrated.

Tie a knot for each hydrated lily flower to enhance its presentation.

Heat oil with a high smoking point to about 180 degrees Celsius to deep-fry the bean curd skin for 10 to 15 seconds or until it expands and forms blisters on the surface. Remove the excess oil by placing the fried bean curd skin on a kitchen paper towel.

Cut the softened and expanded wood ear fungus into half-inch pieces and the shiitake mushrooms into slices. Remove the stems of the mushrooms and save them for another recipe.

Slice the carrots and bamboo shoots into thin pieces. Cut the button mushrooms in half and chop the cabbage into large pieces, approximately 1.5 inches square.

Stir-fry the cabbage with oil for five minutes or until it softens.

Add the shiitake mushrooms, wood ear fungus, lily flowers, carrots, and black moss. Season the vegetables with the preserved bean curd and add a tablespoon of sugar to balance the flavor.

Add enough water to cover half of the vegetables when braising them. Use the water to soak the mushrooms as part of the braising liquid for added flavor. Braise the vegetables for 2 to 3 minutes.

Place the deep-fried bean curd skin on the vegetables.

Cut the mung bean vermicelli into 4-inch lengths, then spread them on top of the bean curd skin. Continue braising the vegetables with the lid on for another five minutes or until the liquid becomes a thick gravy.

Remove the lid and add baby corn, ginkgo nuts, and button mushrooms, which only require a brief cooking time.

Once done, remove from the wok and serve.

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Dietary