Hungry Ghost Mood Modifier

Bang the Gong Gong hay fat choy — that’s happy Chinese New Year in Mandarin (and about the extent of my Mandarin, too).We now enter the Year of the Horse. The horse is supposed to be a happy, easy-going sign but experts in the field say the year may be a dodgy one.  I am not an expert in the field, but an up-and-down year you can probably count on.  So nourish yourself.

Here’s a recipe from my book Feeding the Hungry Ghost — a simplified version of Buddha’s Delight, the traditional mild and meatless monk’s stew that brings good health and good fortune. Its selling point isn’t spice, but a symphony of textures. It delighted an enlightened guy like Buddha. May it work for you, too.

Hungry Ghost Mood Modifier

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Servings 2

Ingredients

  

• 2 teaspoons canola or peanut oil
• 1 clove garlic minced
• 1 tablespoon ginger about a thumb-sized piece, peeled and cut into matchsticks
• 2 scallions chopped thin
• 1 carrot cut into matchsticks
• 1 rib celery chopped
• 1 red pepper cut into matchsticks
• 1 cup cabbage shredded
• 4 ounces firm tofu 1/4th of a 1-pound package, cut into cubes
• 2 tablespoons soy sauce
• 1 tablespoon Asian rice vinegar*
• 1 teaspoon agave or honey
• 1 teaspoon sesame oil*
• 1 8- ounce package shirataki * rinsed well and drained

Instructions

 

• In a large skillet, heat oil over medium-high heat.  Add garlic, ginger and scallions, and stir for about 2 minutes, or until vegetables soften.Add carrots, celery and red pepper and continue cooking for another 2 to 3 minutes.
• Add cabbage and tofu, stirring occasionally to prevent vegetables and tofu from sticking.
• In a small bowl, whisk together soy sauce, rice vinegar, honey or agave and sesame oil until blended.  Pour over vegetables and tofu and stir gently.
• Add shirataki and toss.  Cook for another few minutes, until the sauce is mostly absorbed and the stir-fry is heated through.