Many Singapore households eat vegetarian on Vesak Day, and the default is usually a trip to a vegetarian stall or restaurant. Cooking at home is just as satisfying, often cheaper, and a calm way to mark the day with family. These Chinese vegetarian recipes are simple enough for a weeknight cook, use ingredients from any neighbourhood supermarket or wet market, and can be adjusted for stricter Buddhist vegetarian (zhai) rules.
What Makes Chinese Vegetarian Cooking “Zhai”
Before you shop, decide how strict you want to be. Chinese Buddhist vegetarian food, often called zhai (斋), commonly goes further than simply skipping meat:
- No meat, poultry or seafood, including hidden ingredients such as oyster sauce, fish sauce, shrimp paste, dried shrimp and meat-based stock.
- No eggs in many households, though some include them.
- No five pungent spices (五辛, wǔ xīn), traditionally garlic, onion, shallot or scallion, leek and chives, which some Buddhist traditions avoid.
Practice varies by family and temple, so there is no single correct version. If you are cooking for elders or guests who keep zhai, ask what they avoid. For a fuller background on this style of eating, see our guide to Buddhist vegetarian (zhai) Chinese food in Singapore.
Pantry swaps that make zhai cooking easy:
- Vegetarian oyster sauce, usually made from mushrooms, instead of regular oyster sauce. Check the label.
- Ginger and white pepper to give warmth and depth where you would normally use garlic.
- Dried shiitake mushrooms and their soaking water as a rich, savoury stock.
- Light soy sauce, dark soy sauce, sesame oil and Shaoxing-style cooking wine if your household allows alcohol in cooking (many strict zhai cooks leave it out).
Five Easy Chinese Vegetarian Recipes
Each recipe serves about four as part of a shared meal with rice. Quantities are a guide, so taste and adjust.
1. Buddha’s Delight (Lo Han Zhai)
The classic Buddhist vegetable stew, braised slowly so everything soaks up the sauce.
- Soak 6 to 8 dried shiitake mushrooms, a small bundle of glass noodles (tang hoon), a handful of dried black fungus and a few sheets of dried beancurd skin.
- Fry a few slices of ginger in oil, then add sliced carrot, the mushrooms and fungus. Stir for two minutes.
- Add Chinese cabbage (wong bok), snow peas and fried tofu puffs, then 2 tablespoons vegetarian oyster sauce, 1 tablespoon light soy sauce and about 1 cup of mushroom soaking water.
- Cover and simmer for 10 to 15 minutes until the cabbage is soft. Stir in the glass noodles and beancurd skin at the end and cook until they absorb most of the liquid.
2. Braised Tofu With Shiitake Mushrooms
- Cut firm tofu into thick slices and pan-fry until golden on both sides. Set aside.
- Fry ginger slices and soaked, sliced shiitake mushrooms until fragrant.
- Add 1 tablespoon vegetarian oyster sauce, 1 teaspoon dark soy sauce, a pinch of sugar and half a cup of mushroom water. Return the tofu and simmer for five minutes.
- Thicken with a little cornflour mixed in water and finish with sesame oil.
3. Vegetarian Fried Bee Hoon
A Vesak favourite that is easy to scale up for guests.
- Soak dried rice vermicelli in room-temperature water until soft, then drain well.
- Fry shredded cabbage, carrot strips and sliced mushrooms with ginger. Add bean sprouts last so they stay crunchy.
- Toss in the bee hoon with light soy sauce, a little dark soy sauce for colour and a splash of water. Use chopsticks or tongs to toss rather than stir, so the noodles do not clump.
- Top with sliced vegetarian char siew or fried tofu strips if you like. Our guide on how to cook noodles perfectly at home has more tips on soaking and frying times.
4. Stir-Fried Kai Lan With Ginger
- Trim kai lan and cut thick stems in half lengthways so they cook evenly.
- Blanch for one minute in salted boiling water with a drop of oil, then drain.
- Fry plenty of julienned ginger in oil, add the kai lan, a spoonful of vegetarian oyster sauce and a splash of water. Toss for a minute and serve.
5. Three Cup King Oyster Mushrooms
A vegetarian take on the Taiwanese three cup dish, which traditionally uses sesame oil, soy sauce and rice wine.
- Cut king oyster mushrooms into thick chunks and pan-fry in sesame oil until browned.
- Add plenty of sliced ginger, then 2 tablespoons light soy sauce, 1 tablespoon dark soy sauce and 1 teaspoon sugar. Add rice wine only if your household uses it, or swap in water.
- Cook until the sauce is sticky, then stir through a large handful of Thai basil just before serving.
Comparing the Dishes at a Glance
Use this to plan a balanced spread with different textures and cooking methods.
| Dish | Main ingredients | Cooking style | Hands-on time | Strict zhai friendly |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Buddha’s delight | Cabbage, mushrooms, fungus, glass noodles, tofu puffs | Braise | About 30 minutes | Yes |
| Braised tofu with shiitake | Firm tofu, shiitake mushrooms | Pan-fry and braise | About 20 minutes | Yes |
| Vegetarian fried bee hoon | Rice vermicelli, cabbage, bean sprouts | Stir-fry | About 25 minutes | Yes |
| Kai lan with ginger | Kai lan, ginger | Blanch and stir-fry | About 10 minutes | Yes |
| Three cup king oyster mushrooms | King oyster mushrooms, ginger, basil | Pan-fry and reduce | About 15 minutes | Yes, if you skip the wine |
Planning a Simple Vesak Menu for the Family
A typical home Vesak lunch might be one braised dish, one noodle or rice dish, one green vegetable and a soup. For example:
- Buddha’s delight
- Vegetarian fried bee hoon or plain white rice
- Kai lan with ginger
- A clear soup of old cucumber, carrot and corn, made with mushroom stock
If some family members are observing the eight precepts on Vesak, they may need to finish lunch before noon, so plan for an earlier meal and get the braised dish going first. Our guide on how to cook rice perfectly at home is handy if rice is your base.
Shopping and Prep Tips for Busy Cooks
- Buy dried goods a few days ahead. Mushrooms, fungus, beancurd skin and glass noodles keep well and are sold at supermarkets and dried goods stalls in wet markets.
- Read labels. Many sauces, stock cubes and seasoning powders contain meat, fish or egg products, as well as garlic and onion. Look for products marked vegetarian, and check ingredient lists if you are cooking strict zhai.
- Soak the night before. Dried shiitake mushrooms develop more flavour after a long soak in the fridge, and the soaking water becomes your stock.
- Use separate utensils if guests are strict. Some people who keep zhai prefer food cooked in woks and pans not used for meat. If that matters to your guests, clean equipment thoroughly or use a dedicated pan.
- Get the kids involved. Washing vegetables, tearing cabbage and folding beancurd skin are easy jobs for younger helpers. See teaching children to cook simple meals at home for more ideas.
Making Leftovers Work
Braised dishes like Buddha’s delight and the tofu taste even better the next day. Cool leftovers quickly, refrigerate them in covered containers, and reheat until piping hot. Fried bee hoon dries out in the fridge, so add a splash of water when reheating. Cooking just enough, and turning leftovers into lunch boxes, keeps the spirit of Vesak, which is about mindfulness and not wasting what we have.
Frequently Asked Questions
What can I use if I cannot find dried shiitake mushrooms? Fresh shiitake or other mushrooms work, though the flavour will be lighter and you lose the savoury soaking water. Add a little more vegetarian oyster sauce or a splash of light soy sauce to deepen the taste, and brown the mushrooms well in the pan first.
Are these Vesak recipes vegan? They contain no meat, fish or dairy, and none of the five recipes call for egg, so they can be vegan. The catch is store-bought ingredients: some sauces, vegetarian meats and noodles may contain egg or milk, so read the labels before cooking for strict vegans.
How do I make sure a vegetarian meal still has enough protein for children? Tofu, fried beancurd, beancurd skin and mushrooms already give a good base, and pairing them with rice or noodles makes a balanced plate. Add beans, nuts or other soy-based dishes through the week. For a child with special diet needs, ask a doctor or dietitian.
Is cooking vegetarian at home cheaper than eating at a vegetarian stall? Usually yes, especially for a family sharing several dishes, since staples such as cabbage, tofu and rice vermicelli are inexpensive. The savings depend on what you buy and how much you cook, and dried goods stored for later can stretch the budget further.