
(Photo by Chan May Ching)
Speaking of unforgettable creative vegetarian cuisines, the first which I recall is Braised Bean Curd and Lion’s Mane Mushroom. This tasty and impromptu dish was invented after I took some ingredients out of refrigerator and cooked them randomly. The spicy and savoury flavour is nice to serve with steamed rice, and it can satisfy the taste buds of the newly converted vegetarians.
It is very easy to make this dish. First, stir-fry ginger slices until fragrant. Next, fry the bean curds on both sides until they turn golden yellow. Third, add some Lion’s Mane mushrooms and fry them until fragrant. After that, lower the heat and infuse the ingredients with some soy sauce. Stir the ingredients for a while and add some water. Cover the pan with lid. When the ingredients are braised until liquid has evaporated, add some spicy mala sauce and stir it well with the ingredients, sprinkle a bit of cut parsley and it is ready for serving.
In fact, with just a little thought and effort, vegetarian dishes can be very distinct, so is life.

(Photo by Chan May Ching)
If you find the taste to be a little boring in flavour, you may add a bit of sugar to better the texture. Food presentation is another useful tip. Choosing the right plate can help make the food look more appealing, If the dish is colourful enough, do present it on a plain white plate, if the dish is dark in colour, you may complement them with some vegetables and fruits to create contrast. Some plating techniques to note, vegetables used for plating should be cooked, otherwise, use only salad vegetables that can be eaten raw.
Vegetarian dishes can be full of colour, flavour, taste, and rich with nutrition. Legumes can replace meat in terms of protein too. In my opinion, the biggest challenge in culinary is heat control. But it will not end my passion in cooking. I love to cook vegetarian food for others, and I also believe that food can bring comfort to our hearts and minds.