Right Now Recipe: Chinese New Year Buddhist Delight

It seems no matter which New Year you celebrate, the New Year’s Eve dinner binge and New Year’s Day resolution to eat healthy is universal. According to chef Joseph Poon, a healthy dish is traditionally served on the first day of the Chinese New Year — that’s tomorrow — after tonight’s characteristically decadent New Year’s Eve banquet-style meal. So whether you are celebrating the Year of the Rat, or you’re just trying to get back on your 2008 diet plan, try chef Poon’s recipe for an antioxidant and protein-packed stir-fry.

It seems no matter which New Year you celebrate, the New Year’s Eve-dinner binge and New Year’s Day resolution to eat healthy is universal. According to chef Joseph Poon, a healthy dish is traditionally served on the first day of the Chinese New Year — that’s tomorrow — after tonight’s characteristically decadent New Year’s Eve banquet-style meal. So whether you are celebrating the Year of the Rat, or you’re just trying to get back on your 2008 diet plan, try chef Poon’s recipe for an antioxidant- and protein-packed stir-fry.

All of the ingredients can be found at King’s Market III (1012-1014 Cherry St.) in Chinatown, but, as chef Poon always says, “Don’t worry, be happy." Feel free to make the dish your own by substituting ingredients or adding your favorite fresh vegetables.

Chinese New Year Vegetarian Buddhist Delight

Serves 4-6

For shallot-ginger-garlic brown sauce:
1 Tbsp vegetable oil, plus oil for wok
½ cup vegetable broth
1 Tbsp vegetarian oyster sauce
½ Tbsp mushroom soy sauce
1 Tbsp sherry
1 tsp red bean cake
2 tsp granulated sugar
dash black pepper
2 Tbsp cornstarch
1 Tbsp sesame oil
1 Tbsp chopped shallot
1 tsp chopped ginger
2 cloves garlic, chopped

Ingredients for stir-fry:
10 slices lotus root
5 water chestnut, sliced
3 chi goo (water lily chestnut), sliced
1 bamboo shoot, Sliced
4 Japanese mushrooms
10 snow peas
10 carrots, sliced
1 piece of Five Tofu, sliced
10 tofu puffs
6 pieces deep-fried tofu
1 piece Bean Cake Stick (soaked in water overnight)
1 oz. fat choi (green bean)
1 cup julienned chinese celery
3 wood ear mushrooms
1 package enoke mushrooms
2 oz. oyster mushrooms
10 shiitake mushrooms
10 straw mushrooms

For garnish:
Sesame oil, to taste
Red capers, to taste
Bok choy, to taste

To make shallot-ginger-garlic brown sauce: In a small bowl, combine all sauce ingredients except chopped shallots, ginger and garlic. Add a small amount of vegetable oil to wok. Add shallots, ginger and garlic to wok and cook over low heat until vegetables are translucent. Add combined sauce ingredients to wok and mix well. Continue cooking over low heat, stirring frequently, until sauce thickens.

To make stir-fry: Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Blanch all stir-fry ingredients in boiling water until tender. Drain. Combine stir-fry ingredients with sauce, and mix well. Garnish with sesame oil, red capers and bok choy.