Return To The Middle Kingdom: Chinese Vegetarian Eating in East Asia

Seeing is deceiving. It's eating that's believing.
-- James Thurber

Introduction

Chinese vegetarian food benefits from its long history and the even longer history of Chinese culinary arts. While Euro/American vegetarianism is still in the early stages of probing the challenge of adapting its cuisine to be vegetarian and also both nutritionally beneficial and appealing, Chinese vegetarianism has had a long time to work out the bugs and so has much to offer as an alternative or complement to the innovations of Euro/American vegetarianism. And, not surprisingly, East Asia is where to sample some of the finest.

The cuisine of Chinese vegetarians has found wide acceptance beyond the group that developed it, and is enjoyed by:

• Jains - Outside of the US, Chinese vegetarian restaurants strictly avoid onion, garlic, and related pungents
• Euro/American vegetarians - with few exceptions (in US and Singapore), restaurants serve only vegan dishes
• Muslims and Jews - some restaurants have even been certified halal or kosher
• Hindu and Sikh vegetarians
• Others who choose to forego meat (perhaps for just one meal), appreciate light subtlety, or who just like to eat something different

	Buddhist Roots: following Chinese vegetarianism from its origins in India
	Finding The Food: following the signs that lead to delight
	Preparing The Food: A few simple recipes that bring Chinese vegetarian tastes into your kitchen
	FAQ: Some Frequently Asked Questions (and the answers)