Mock meat, real taste
By Ranajit Dam
Perhaps the most difficult part of the transition from meat-eater to vegetarian is fighting the craving for meat. Many carnivores feel that flesh adds “substance” to the meal; without it, lunch would just be vegetables and bread.
This understandably creates a moral dilemma in the minds of those who are tending towards vegetarianism but lacking in willpower. Trying to take a stand against the innocent slaughter of sentient beings is all well and good, but how do you make a difference if you keep succumbing to the temptation of meat every time?
Fret no more, for the answer is here, and indeed has been around for centuries. Despite the name, Buddhist cuisine does not necessarily imply a religious commitment of any sort; however, it does lead you up the path of enlightenment by showing that you can, indeed, bid farewell to meat without forsaking the taste.
You see, ages ago, certain dead-smart Buddhist chefs hit upon this absolutely brilliant way of recreating the appearance, smell, flavour and texture of meat by using a variety of vegetarian ingredients. This resulted in the creation of dishes that look like so much like meat, smell so much like meat, and heck, even taste so much like meat that you’d find it difficult to believe you weren’t eating the genuine article.
Known in China as zhaicai (斋菜), Buddhist cuisine is well known around the world for having the oldest known use of “meat analogues” or, simply put, mock meat. The “meat” is created by using ingredients such as prepared wheat gluten, tofu and other plant products.
Wheat gluten, also known as seitan, is made by washing dough made from wheat flour in water until the starch is rinsed away, leaving only the gluten, which is then cooked and processed in various ways. In Buddhist cuisine, it is preferred to tofu as a meat substitute as some types feel even more like meat than tofu does due to their chewy texture.
Either way, tofu and seitan are both very versatile materials, because they can be moulded into various shapes and textures, and they absorb flavourings (including meat-like flavourings).
If you’ve never tried Buddhist cuisine before, it might be worth your while to make a trip down to Jinhaige on Nanyuan Road, opposite Shangbu Building (full map and address given here). While not the epitome of a classy dining establishment by any means, Jinhaige stakes its claim to being the oldest restaurant of its kind in Shenzhen, and boasts hordes of passionately loyal fans, including me.
The reason, of course, is the fabulous food. Try the pineapple mock pork, the black pepper mock beef, the fried mock chicken, the spicy mock lamb skewers… I could just carry on and on. The point is that some of the mock meat here is so good that you wish real meat tasted like it.
And Jinhaige’s not the only Buddhist restaurant in the city. Follow this link and you’ll find others, each of which should be a reason to finally embrace vegetarianism. Did you promise yourself that 2008 was going to be the year you gave up meat? Don’t let the “taste” excuse get in the way any more.
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