There are four heavenly kings in the Japanese dashi soup base - kombu and bonito are the two main protagonists, while dried fish and dried shiitake mushrooms are the two supporting roles. But the dried shiitake mushrooms that seem to be readily available now were actually considered high-end gifts when they were first introduced to Japan in the Tang Dynasty, and ordinary people couldn’t eat them even if they wanted to! Although cheap and cheap dried shiitake mushrooms are available everywhere today, wild dried shiitake mushrooms must be picked at the end of winter and early spring, because after being exposed to the harsh environment of humid and low temperatures, shiitake mushrooms will grow more delicious, thicker, and fragrant.
Shojin Ryori has a nice name, but it is actually a Japanese vegetarian dish. Japanese monks eat vegetarian food just like our monks, but they are not careless about cooking. Unlike Chinese monks who mostly use dried shiitake mushrooms to make vegetarian meat and fry it until fragrant, Japanese monks have developed refreshing but balanced Shojin cuisine. , becoming a famous series in Japanese cuisine.
Of course, the foundation of Japanese food is dashi, but due to vegetarianism, meat and fish cannot be used in Shojin cuisine, so the monks cannot use the two stars of kombu and bonito to make dashi. Next, the use of kelp and the supporting role of dried shiitake mushrooms form the basis of Shojin ryori. This important dashi soup base can be eaten in temples all over Japan. However, since it is a cuisine with a long tradition, it is of course impossible not to mention the footprints it has left in Kyoto. ?
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Above: I used it at Taizoin in 2014 Shojin ryori, a small gourd-shaped bowl, is alluded to Taizoin's Daizai question "How can a small gourd catch a big catfish".
For example, Kyoto Taizo-in (Myoshinji), Ryoan-ji, and Chion-in all have their own Shojin cuisine that is famous throughout Japan; there is also the famous "Ikkyu" Kyoto's Daitokuji Temple, where "monk" saved the abandoned temple, is also a good place to taste Shojin cuisine.
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These temples are as dedicated to producing Shojin ryori as any restaurant or hotel. Daitokuji Temple even has a registered trademark for their proud Shojin ryori: "一 "Nine" has the same pronunciation as "Ikkyu" of monk Ikkyu in Japanese. It is not an exaggeration to say that it is the glory of Daitoku Temple.
Shojin-ryori usually contains Zen, with profound philosophy from containers to ingredients. In particular, Shojin-ryori pays attention to the use of seasonal vegetables and pursues natural deliciousness. Therefore, although the ingredients are not necessarily expensive, the taste is as rich as that of a kaiseki meal. Cuisine (high-end Japanese banquet cuisine).
Understanding that "all things are animistic, and since you take life from nature as your own meal, you should enjoy it with gratitude" is the basic spirit when enjoying Shojin ryori, so every bite Eat with gratitude.
The temples mentioned in this article all have reservation services for Shojin-ryori. If you have the opportunity to enjoy Shojin-ryori in any temple, remember not to make any noise like you are dining in a restaurant, but to treat yourself in a quiet way. If you are in a good mood, don’t chat with others or play with your phone all the time, but focus on the food, taste it carefully, and finish the meal completely. This is the way to eat the spirit of Shojin Ryori and be polite! To learn more authentic Japanese information, join the author’s Magic Jolie fan group! facebook/MagicJulie.TW/
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top photo by:?663highland [GFDL, CC-BY-SA-3.0 or CC BY 2.5], via Wikimedia Commons
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