3 minute read
Fresh Cuts
YOU ARE WHAT YOU EAT: TEMPLE FOOD IN HONG KONG By Carla Thomas
Originating in the Buddhist temples of South Korea, temple food is the type of cuisine eaten by monks and nuns. Typically absent of meat, fish, dairy, eggs, and popular aromatics like garlic and onion, you’d be forgiven for assuming that it might be bland - but you’d also be mistaken.
Advertisement
Temple cuisine actually builds surprisingly bold flavours through natural, time-intensive cooking techniques such as fermentation, pickling, or dehydration, as well as mindfully sourced and prepared ingredients. The five “pungent spices” (onion, garlic, leeks, green onions, spring onions) are never used, as they are believed by Buddhist monks to prevent a mind from achieving calmness. Dishes are instead flavoured with simple seasonings that vibe better with the enlightened mind - think turmeric, sichuan pepper, or shiso.
What’s all the hype about eating al templo? Temple cuisine is basically edible mindfulness, extolling not just the virtues of a vegan and MSG-free diet, but also the careful nurturing and selection of crops and slow, considerate preparation of dishes. Nothing instant or processed is ever used, and if possible, waste is to be avoided. Expect many small-portioned dishes that are delicately plated with welllayered flavour complexes.
So not only do you enjoy organic, additive-free food that’s easy on the environment, you benefit from the entire culinary experience, cultivating an attitude of gratitude over where your food came from and how it was prepared! Although the most authentic temple food can be found in South Korean monasteries, here are a few places to try it right here in Hong Kong.
SOIL TO SOUL
Newly opened in K11 Musea over the summer, Soil to Soul is a contemporary vegetarian restaurant inspired by ancient Korean temple food. Devoutly skipping the five forbidden spices, as well as meat or fish, you’ll find inventive twists on temple fare, such as mushroom terrine, perilla seed with taro soup, and rehydrated apple salad. The lunch set starts at $218, and the dinner tasting menu will run you around $598- $788. An a la carte menu is also available.
704, 7/F, K11 MUSEA, Tsim Sha Tsui East, 2389-9588, soiltosoulhk.com
CHI LIN VEGETARIAN
This Chinese Buddhist restaurant is like an oasis in the middle of Kowloon, located in the verdant and tranquil Nan Lian Gardens. This classical Chinese garden is home to a Buddhist nunnery, as well as countless courtyards, lotus ponds, and a waterfall situated right next to the restaurant. The menu is low-oil, low-salt, low-sugar, uses no MSG, and is virtually vegan, although some of the less traditional dishes on the menu do contain dairy (pizza or waffles, for example). Dishes range from $80-$288, and the set lunch costs $150 per person. A minimum spend of $120 per diner is asked.
60 Fung Tak Rd., Diamond Hill, Kowloon, 3658-9388
TRICYCLE ONLINE COURSES
Still practising social distancing? Learn the art of Korean Buddhist cooking from the comfort of your very own kitchen, with a Korean Buddhist Cooking course offered by leading Buddhist magazine, Tricycle. This online course available on the mag’s e-learning platform covers four self-paced units, each with its own recipes like soy braised lotus root, vegan savoury pancakes, and how to make your own fermented sauces. You’ll also find paired meditations for each lesson that deepen your connection to Buddhist teachings, while developing a healthier relationship to food, cooking, and eating. Costs $149.
learn.tricycle.org/courses/korean-buddhist-cooking
FRESH CUTS
Dining news that’s good for you
STARBUCKS LAUNCHES PLANT-BASED MENU OPTIONS Vegan-friendly coffees and dishes are coming to a Starbucks near you! The new plant-based menu launch includes coffee concoctions like the Almond Milk Nutty Latte and Soymilk Sesame Latte, as well as meat-free bites like the Maize Impossible Sandwich, a glutenfree brekky sammie filled with egg, cheese, pumpkin and the Impossible Sausage patty, making its Asian debut.
starbucks.com.hk
MATCHALI OPENS SECOND BRANCH IN PACIFIC PLACE Mad about matcha? Make sure to check out HK’s first homegrown matcha brand, Matchali, at their second opening in Pacific Place. The cafe is serving up the same yummy matcha-based drinks that caused a stir at its first location in The Landmark, as well as an autumnal menu - think Apple Hojicha Cold Brew or Matcha Chai Latte. You can also add some fun new extras into your bev, like collagen or CBD drops, for a naturally calming effect.
