Buddha Bites
As an antidote to the Meat Issue, Johannes Pong finds the best Buddhist veggie venues.
Buddhist cuisine differs from contemporary Western vegetarianism in myriad ways. It’s not just meat that’s a no-no—death of vegetables is a boo-boo too, and a lot of root vegetables are forbidden. So are the five acrid plants that titillate the senses—garlic, leek, shallots, chives, Indian asafetida or the Western onion in modern times (why spicy chilies and peppers from the New World are allowed boggles the mind).
The Chinese attachment to consuming animals combined with a national talent for creating fake products together with centuries of culinary experimentation have led to all forms of gluten, soybean and plant products made to mimic the sinewy texture of flesh, tendon and skin. Whatever way you slice it, Buddhist cuisine is a healthy alternative to yet another meat fest.
1. Chi Lin Vegetarian
Nan Lian Garden, Diamond Hill, 3658-9388, www.nanliangarden.org
Right beside the Diamond Hill MTR station and Plaza Hollywood sits Nan Lian (Southern Lotus) Garden, easily Hong Kong’s most polished and cultured public park. Deep inside, behind the cascading waterfalls, is a green blocky building, the serene dining room Chi Lin Vegetarian.
The cooks here follow the same traditions they have been practicing for over 70 years, and so it departs significantly from the secular Chinese vegetarian conventions of serving faux meat. Don’t expect mock duck and fake fish here. Set lunches run $85 for four courses and $110 for five, with offerings like deep-fried stuffed Japanese pumpkin, sautéed bell peppers with soybean sauce, and braised melon with enoki fungi. All sets come with rice, congee and fresh fruit.
Dim sum, stir-fry dishes, even coffee and cakes are available on the à la carte menu. Only around 10 varieties of dim sum are available, but it’s worth a try as they’re less greasy than the usual. Coupled with the exquisite garden and temple grounds, this place is a little slice of Nirvana, far away from the hustle and bustle. Avoid new- and full-moon days so you don’t compete with the tai-tais who go vegetarian temp.
Do try: Congee boiled with cashews, tofu skin and assorted fungi. Also, dumplings filled with mushrooms, crispy emerald gourd and crunchy water chestnuts.