charles hugh smith-What's Cooking at our House: Spicy Buddha's Feast

Given the growing number of vegetarians, it's a good idea to have some signature vegetarian dishes for dinner parties. One of ours is Spicy Buddha's Feast. Buddhist monks do not eat meat, and so the classic Buddhist diet is entirely vegetarian. In China, there is a rich classical history of nuanced, varied meatless cuisine.

As the ingredients of Spicy Buddha's Feast are only vegetables (no dairy or egg), vegans can enjoy it as well.

Initially a student of Chinese language and history, Tropp pursued her interest in the nation's culinary offerings by going to Taiwan in the late 1970s to learn from master chefs (at that time, it was not yet possible to visit mainland China). This cookbook, published in 1982, broke new ground as a result of Tropp's grasp of the philosophy of China and its cuisine: the balancing of flavors and textures, yin and yang, etc.

As a general rule, most of what Americans knew as Chinese food came from the region around Hong Kong (Canton). The many other styles of Chinese cooking were largely unknown. Tropp's book demystified the incredible wealth of traditions and styles beyond Cantonese.

Tropp's recipes result in the real deal, dishes that satisfy discerning native-born Chinese palates with their authentic flavors and ingredients. To say that this Buddha's Feast surpasses 99% of any restaurant version is not hyperbole (if you can even find it on the menu).

Spicy Buddha's Feast is a labor of love, as it contains many ingredients and requires a lot of prep time, slicing vegetables, rehydrated dried mushrooms, etc., and the authentic version demands a trip to the Asian Market for ingredients such as glass noodles and curried braised gluten (mock meat). The kind of vegetables you include can vary within the basic framework of the recipe.

The nice thing about this dish is the actual stir-frying of all the ingredients is relatively quick and unfussy; it's a fairly forgiving process.

Here's what Tropp has to say about this rendition of a classic recipe (page 299):

As someone who formally studied Chinese philosophy in university and has remained a student of its culture and history in the decades since, I can also assure you that preparing and consuming this dish introduces you to the essence of Chinese philosophy-- not just of cooking but of life, if you are attuned to the contrasting and complementary nature of its flavors, colors and textures.

Cooking opens doors to understanding unavailable to the passive diner, just as gardening opens doors to experiences and insights unavailable to those who only buy fresh produce at markets or buy meals at restaurants.

If this dish is daunting largely because its ingredients and steps are new to you, use Emerson as a guide: Do the thing and you shall have the power. That's a pretty good summary of Taoist philosophy as well....

Things are falling apart--that is obvious. But why are they falling apart? The reasons are complex and global. Our economy and society have structural problems that cannot be solved by adding debt to debt. We are becoming poorer, not just from financial over-reach, but from fundamental forces that are not easy to identify or understand. We will cover the five core reasons why things are falling apart:

1. Debt and financialization
2. Crony capitalism and the elimination of accountability
3. Diminishing returns
4. Centralization
5. Technological, financial and demographic changes in our economy
Complex systems weakened by diminishing returns collapse under their own weight and are replaced by systems that are simpler, faster and affordable. If we cling to the old ways, our system will disintegrate. If we want sustainable prosperity rather than collapse, we must embrace a new model that is Decentralized, Adaptive, Transparent and Accountable (DATA).
We are not powerless. Not accepting responsibility and being powerless are two sides of the same coin: once we accept responsibility, we become powerful.

Kindle edition: $9.95 print edition: $24 on Amazon.com
To receive a 20% discount on the print edition: $19.20 (retail $24), follow the link, open a Createspace account and enter discount code SJRGPLAB. (This is the only way I can offer a discount.)

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