Ganmodoki with Daikon Sauce

Plant-based food has grown in popularity in recent years and I’m always looking for ways to reduce meat and animal products in my diet. Asides from health and environmental benefits, there are just SO many tasty vegan Japanese recipes and this is one of my favourites. Made popular by the famous Shojin Ryori cuisine of Buddhist monasteries in Japan, these tofu patties pack an umami rich flavour punch and are oh-so-satisfying. Served with a piquant daikon sauce, they are the perfect starter or addition to a Japanese main meal.

Monk Food

Yes, that’s right, in Japan there is a whole cuisine created and eaten by Buddhist monks. This plant-based cuisine is called Shojin Ryori and usually consists of a soup, three vegetable side dishes and steamed rice. If you take a trip to a Buddhist monastery you’ll be served a spread of seasonal vegetables, various forms of tofu and mountain plants and herbs. All laid out in individual bowls, beautifully symmetrical and designed to bring balance and alignment to the body, mind, and spirit. It’s an unforgettable experience, sitting on tatami mats, looking out onto the zen garden from your window and eating fresh, healthy and carefully prepared plant-based food.

The original vegans - before it became cool - Buddhist monks don’t use animal products in their food and try to achieve balance in their cuisine. Each meal should consist of five different colours and have elements from the five flavour groups: sweet, sour, salty, bitter and umami. Soy based products, such as natto, often bring the umami punch that lifts these dishes to the next level. Natto are soy beans that have been fermented with a particular bacteria called Bacillus subtilis var. The resulting dish is loved by the Japanese for its health quality and flavour but can be off putting for some westerners (and Japanese too) due to its strong taste and the slimy and rather stringy texture!

Dashi

In our cuisine Dashi is as important as a good chicken stock is in French cuisine. You can buy varying dashi powders and cubes that add umami flavour to soups, stews and other dishes but nothing can be as satisfying and delicious as the real thing.

Ingredient spotlight – Firm and extra firm tofu

Firm tofu is widely available in supermarkets and is also the most versatile form. I love it for the tightly packed curds and chewy, slightly meaty, texture. This type of tofu can be stir-fried, deep fried, pan fried or even crumbled into soups and stews. It can be easily cut into blocks, a bit like feta cheese. Occasionally you may need to press this type of tofu before use to make It firm enough to cut up without it crumbling apart. If you don’t have time to press your tofu then go for the extra-firm variety which is almost identical to firm but with less water content.

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Flying the flag for plant-based food

I may not be a Buddhist monk but I am becoming increasingly plant-based in my diet. Japanese food often falls into the “accidentally vegan” category due to our love of soy-based products such as tofu and soy milk. I have grown up using these products to create creamy flavours so I rely much less on dairy products. With flavoursome ingredients such as shitake, kombu and miso as part of our culinary heritage, Japanese cooks are able to create complex umami rich flavours without reaching for meat and fish products. I’m obsessed by fermented condiments such as miso and koji as they are so brilliant at adding depth of flavour to a dish. If you’re making a stir-fry you can instantly bring this to the next level with a dash of shoyu-koji.

My favourite thing about cooking this way is that it’s not only great for the environment but it’s also so good for your health. Eating fermented foods improves the quality of your gut biome – the microscopic bacterial environment living inside your tummy- which has been proven to affect your overall health and wellbeing in a multitude of ways. I love to know that what I am eating is bringing health and happiness to my body and mind – just like a Buddhist monk!

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