Lo Han Jai (Buddha’s Delight 罗汉斋)

Lo Han Jai is THE vegetarian dish that makes it to every Lunar New Year banquet! The Buddha’s Delight medley is slow cooked until perfectly moist then drizzled with a smooth tangy sauce, making it the most anticipated labor of love.

The warmest New Year memory

Grandma’s recipe for Lo Han Jai means EVERYTHING to me. It’s part of our family’s unforgettable Chinese celebration menu that starts from the moment we wake up.

I can’t remember ever waking up on a first day of the Lunar New Year without a huge pot of ‘jai‘ waiting for the family downstairs. Taking the lid off the pot is honestly like uncovering a trove of hidden jewels!

While every Chinese household sings waves of pride and joy about their take on this traditional vegetarian stew (and has every reason to), here’s why our version is the one you don’t want to miss:

• Every ingredient is infused with fermented red bean curd, giving it a robust multi-layered flavor profile
• We have a housemade secret: a vibrant creamy citrus sauce that adds another dimension to the dish
• Bar a few staple ingredients, you can choose any other favourite vegetables you like
• This recipe is the one that other grandmas ask for!

What is Chinese Jai?

In our Cantonese household, we use jai interchangeably with ‘vegetarian food’. Ever since Mum became a full-time vegetarian, everything she eats is considered jai to us, including her Braised Tofu with Mushrooms, Lemongrass Tofu, Vietnamese Tapioca Noodle Soup and Spicy Noodle Soup.

However, the term actually has roots in Buddhism and represents modest vegetarian cuisine.

Chinese jai is almost always eaten on the first day of the Chinese New Year to welcome luck and prosperity. It originally has over 30 ingredients, but many families have adapated it to suit their preferences and circumstances.

Which fermented bean curd do I use?

The base of Grandma’s Lo Han Jai uses red fermented bean curd, which has a much deeper and earthier flavor. You will find them at Asian supermarkets in jars. When opened, there are cubes of tofu in a red brining liquid.

We only use the white version for the sauce, which is entirely optional. Its taste is a little sharper and stronger than its red counterpart and can come in chili or non-chili varieties.

Why this recipe works

• Using a range of mushrooms means there is incredibly texture variety.
• A zesty and creamy dressing is the perfect way to balance this hearty Lo Han Jai.
• If you’re low on time, all the ingredients can be prepared the day before and cooked the morning after.

What you’ll need

Fresh and sauce ingedients

About the ingredients

The main ingredients for Lo Han Jai includes daikon, bean curd sheets, black moss (fat choy), black fungus, bamboo pith and red and white fermented bean curd.

However, aside from the red and white fermented tofu that make up the essence of this dish, the rest can be left out or replaced with an alternative. 

Dehydrated ingredients

About the dried goods

These ingredients will need to be soaked in cold water and rinsed the night before cooking or at least 20 minutes prior (except for the bean curd sheet). Before preparing them, use your hands to squeeze the liquid out.

We get all of these ingredients from the local Asian supermarket. 

How to make this recipe

The vegetarian stew

To begin, bring the water to a boil in a large pot.

Meanwhile, take 3 cubes of red fermented tofu and mash it with your chopsticks. You will be doing this step before cooking each fresh ingredient.

Heat up a wok and add 1 tbsp oil. Add the mashed red fermented tofu, stir for 10 seconds.

Toss in the shiitake mushrooms along with 2 tsp vegetarian soup base and mix for 30 seconds.

Pour in the cooked mushrooms into the pot of water.

Repeat steps 2-5 for all the other fresh ingredients, one ingredient at a time.

In a new pot or saucepan, pour 2 cups oil into a wok and fry the bean curd sheets for no longer than 3 seconds on each side. 

Quickly flip using chopsticks or tongs. With the searing heat, they will immediately puff up.

Note: We like to use a large pot to prevent the hot oil from spraying onto us.

Repeat the bean burd sheets frying process with the green bean threads.

Add all of the fried and rehydrated ingredients one layer at a time.

Mash up the remaining cubes of red fermented bean paste in the jar and pour all the contents into the pot.

Stir gently and season with the salt, vegetarian soup base and sugar. Simmer for 30 minutes minimum.

The sauce

Mash the white fermented bean curd until it forms a paste.

Mix in the sugar and lime juice.

Drizzle on top of the Lo Han Jai and enjoy Lunar New Year’s Day with your family!

Recipe FAQs

Tips for the best results

• Stew the ingredients for longer. This will help to infuse al lthe flavors with one another for a richer taste.
• Keep the fresh ingredients the same size. Grandma likes to thinly slice the mushrooms and tofu, but keeping them the same size also helps to bring balance to the recipe instead of having any one ingredient overshadow another.
• Taste as you go. Since this Buddha’s Delight simmers for some time, taste the broth as it stews to season it exactly to your liking.

More Lunar New Year Recipes!

• Fish Maw Soup
• E-Fu Noodles with Roast Duck
• Ginger Scallion Lobster (蔥薑龍蝦)
• Rice Cooker Chicken and Mushroom Rice
• Steamed Oysters with Ginger and Shallots
• Vietnamese Braised Pork Belly and Eggs in Coconut Water (Thịt Kho)

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This post was originally published on 08/01/2020 and updated with tips and FAQs in February 2021.

Join the family!