I’ve been doing a lot of reading and thinking, interspersed with conversations with Chat GPT. What else would you call it. . . I ask questions, the AI responds, I ask follow up questions, it’s a deeper and more intimate dialogue than I would have with most people. It’s tangential and at times scatalogical.
I ask about Lo Hon Chai, Buddha’s delight, and it makes suggestions. It’s a Lunar new year dish, signifying purity or cleansing, designed to nourish without inflaming desires. . . I look at the ingredients and wonder about the flavours, it seems very bland – but it works – there’s a poise and gentle balance . . .
Lo Hon means Arhat, an adept who has obtained Nirvana. . . I always thought the original number was 4, but the Chinese inflated it to 10, then 16 and finally 18. . . .
A pair of recent books both containing the word Golden in their title. The Golden Road – by William Dalrymple and The Golden Wok – by Diana Chan. From the first I learn about the Indosphere and how like the Monsoonal winds, ideas and people fan out from India before returning with different hues. One of the core themes of the book is the spread and transformation of Buddhism. From the Golden Wok – I feel inspired to cook something from my childhood. Lo Hon Chai. As an adult, I think I finally understand its charms.
In the dish, a summary of said transformation. As an on and off again meditator, I know about vipassana, or insight meditation. It’s basic and sparse. Old school (V close to the original instructions). Sit and breath and watch your thoughts rise and fall, and supposedly from this you obtain an insight into existence. Impermanent, imperfect and selfless. This rather sparse interpretation of the Dharma obviously was unappealing to the 6th century Chinese. In their hands a much more intricate and magical set of ideas emerged. Lo Hon Chai, which possible arose in the Tang dynasty, seems entirely apt in this context. . . An array of wonderful ingredients, each with its own complex backstory.
You can find the recipe for it here. Although in the picture, there is a mystery ingredient that I’ve not been able to identify. There are fine golden brown strands ? Some other form of fungus ? A cordyceps.
She suggests in her book, 15 minutes for prep and 20 minutes for cooking. The cooking time seems correct, but for most people with even an adventurous pantry, a visit to a specialty grocer is required and should be factored it. Being a virgin with regards to several of the ingredients, I spent several days looking for the lily flowers and the fermented bean curd.
For my own future reference. I used 8 medium shiitake – about 25g; 15g of wood fungus – I’d suggest the all black version, avoid the brown furry one; I used 60g of mung bean vermicelli and I think this was not enough; I used about 300g of wombok, this was fine; I used a purple carrot – this was a mistake – too many darkly coloured veg; I used 120g of red fermented bean curd; skip the sugar; and finally the soaking liquid – I amped up the flavour by adding a few tablespoons of taucu and then part cooking the carrot (1min, to soften slightly) and the shiitake (5min).
Regarding the cooking. I sequenced things differently from the recipe. For me – 4 cooking steps. First garlic and the mashed up fermented bean curd; then add all the fungus and the lily flowers, cover and stir occasionally for 5 minutes; then the cabbage, bamboo, carrots, baby corn, vermicelli – again cover and cook, this time for 2-3 minutes; finally add the curd skins that have been pre fried.
Proof of Vinous activity. . .
Best Pinot noir of the year, the 2022 Pooley Jack Denis. Super nose, stems and roses, cherry liqueur. A true peacocks tail. . . If I had money I’d buy more. After this I was even more curious about the 2022 Margaret Pooley Riesling. White flowers, wax and citrusy. A playful trace of sweetness. Good but not great like the JD.
Another delicious and worthy (and more accessible and affordable) Pinot was the Gentlefolk Monomeith – 2023. Adelaide Hills. Lots of cherry, lovely nose, quite a different shape – still terrific. More rounded and lush.
Also tried – a 2011 Lakes Folly (Cab / Shiraz and more). Black currant, menthol and spice; meat and leather. Slightly hollow and hourglass in shape.
A pair of blind tasting misses. . . 2018 John Kosovich Chenin (bottle aged reserve release). Almond meal nose, lots of texture and terrific acid. 2012 Shaw + Smith Shiraz. With blinkers on – this smelt like a Victorian Cabernet. . . Leafy and cool, blackcurrant (surely, in retrospect perhaps more mulberry). Spiced. V good.
Finally, as a placeholder, the 2021 LEAS Chardonnay. V. Good, unsurprisingly so. Plush, curved, full.
Image: The initiated will notice the absence of the fried bean curd skins, which I almost forgot to add. These were added post photo and are absolutely essential. . .
