Tonight I’ll be preparing this vegetarian treat. It was one of the most popular dishes requested by my Saigon customers during “Rầm”, including those who were devote Buddhists.

I’ll braise fresh tofu and mushrooms in a special soy sauce blended with Vietnamese herbs. I’ll serve this flavorful dish over Three-Ladies rice. My vegetarian meal will have just a slight “kick” from the black pepper I use in the sauce.

This meal will be served together with Canh Chay (a Vietnamese soup made with seasonal vegetables (no extra cost). Also, I’ll throw in a super-tasty pickled vege side.

Vietnam is a country whose population is 85% Buddhist. So, it’s not surprising that you can find many beautiful and serene Buddhist temples in every city, town and tiny village throughout the country.  On “Rầm”, the 15th day of each month (using the Lunar calendar), many of those temples open their doors to the public and offer an amazing array of vegetarian foods cooked by the local Buddhist monks – and offer those meals free to their local neighbors in need.

Mushrooms and tofu are two of my favorite ingredients! So, as you might guess, I personally LOVE this vegetarian dish on “Rầm” (or anytime)!