Ten Tasty Vegetables
Submitted by jeanstar
Classic Chinese Buddhist vegetable stir-fry with ten ingredients including cloud ear fungus, lily buds, bean thread noodles, and soy-spiced bean curd. A traditional Lunar New Year dish loaded with earthy, umami-rich flavors.
YIELD
4 servingsPREP
15 minCOOK
25 minREADY
40 minThis is lo han jai by another name: the traditional Chinese “ten vegetable” stir-fry served during Lunar New Year and Buddhist celebrations for good fortune.
Each ingredient carries symbolic meaning, and together they create something far greater than the sum of their parts.
Shredded carrots, turnip, and Chinese celery get wok-fried separately to preserve their individual textures, then joined by rehydrated black mushrooms, cloud ear fungus, dried lily buds, and bean thread noodles that soak up every drop of savory goodness.
The soybean sprouts get charred just slightly for a nutty, smoky edge that rounds out the whole dish.
Chef Tips
- Stir-fry each fresh vegetable separately. It sounds fussy, but this is the only way to get proper wok hei on each one instead of a steamed pile.
- Soak the dried ingredients in hot water until they’re fully softened. Mushrooms usually take about 20 minutes, cloud ear fungus a bit less.
- The bean thread noodles are doing important work here. They absorb excess moisture from the vegetables and keep everything from turning watery.
- Cook the soybean sprouts until they’re slightly charred at the edges. That caramelized, nutty flavor is essential to the dish.
- Serve at room temperature or cool. This is traditionally eaten cold, and the flavors actually deepen as the dish sits.
Ingredients
Directions
PREPARATION:
Shred in 2” lengths: carrots, turnip, Chinese celery and beancurd. Shred onions, greens & all, into 2” lengths. Rinse, then soak in hot water: enough mushrooms, fungus and lily flowers to give specified amounts.
Shred mushrooms, chop fungus.
Soak bean thread noodles.
Bean thread noodles are important because they soak up excess moisture from the vegetables.
Vegetables should be moist but not soggy or watery after stir-frying.
STIR-FRYING:
Stir-fry fresh vegetables separately with about 1 tablespoon oil for each, in hot wok.
Add salt to taste.
Drain off excess water, reserve. (Soybean sprouts should be cooked until they are slightly charred for fullest flavor.)
To stir-fry dried soaked ingredients, begin with hot wok, add 2 to 3 tablespoons oil, then add mushroom, fungus & lily flowers.
Stir-fry green onions, add all other ingredients to them, including noodles.
Allow dish to cool before serving.
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