Vegetarian Food Need Not Be Boring Stuff
Vegetarianism in the local region has reached some lofty heights as anyone and everyone can enjoy creative cooking styles using earth’s bounty products with ease. Such dishes provide a good food alternative as daily eating more servings of vegetables can reduce the risk of developing various cancers or becoming obese. The change of diets counter health crises and may be the key to staying healthy. Being a vegetarian is very much a personal lifestyle option. Some of our friends come from religious motivated families and some turned vegetarians because of religious faith which discouraged the killing of animals for meat consumption.
Our friend, Mr. Tan has practised vegetarianism for a long time and he wanted to show us a good vegetarian restaurant to review the creative and tasty cuisine available. This restaurant is located near a Chinese primary school along the Kuchai Lama commercial area. It rained cats and dogs on that particular afternoon we were there. Parking can be a problem though the business people had tried to resolved the problem by constructing a carpark space behind the school’s little hillside area. This solution is a win-win situation for everyone.
The restaurant is the brainchild concept of Reverand Monk Ven. Shih Ming Chieh and Chef Eugene Tan. All cooking are done without using MSG or bleached salt. Only sea salt and natural vegetarian food enhancers are used. Chef Tan comes from a religious family and as the majority of his clan are vegetarians, it is a natural approach for him to venture into this line as he likes cookery too. He has taken tutelage lessons in Taiwan and has concocted a myriad of flavours to please even the most jaded palate.
The first presentation was a dish of Mock Meat and Fried Mushroom. This is a new offer as the mock meat comes from Japan. It had a texture rather similar to deep-fried belly pork. Though the mock meat texture had the strong resemblance but the taste was a tad bland. Well, the dish certainly got perked up because of the combined varieties of fresh mushrooms being used. Next platter of Famous Beancurd Dish had a topping of pureed spinach paste and diced carrots. The beancurd was deep-fried and had a generous topping of deep-fried mock dried shrimps. This crunch provided a good contrast with the beancurd. Thinly sliced lotus roots came deep-fried in a crisp batter and had a dressing of peppermint salad sauce. This fusion theme worked wonders. For those who like some touch of spiciness, Petai and Mock Fish together with another dish known as Four Heavenly Kings should be suitable for their taste buds. We tried an interesting dish of Red Rice Wine Residue Beancurd. It had nice flavour and should appeal to both old and young.
For the health-conscious patrons, opt for multigrain rice instead of normal white rice. This rice can be palatable, not the dreadful tasting type. Cooking styles here are rather pleasing and I am tempted to return as I yearn for more.
Veggie Vegetarian Restaurant
6-G, Block A, Jalan 2/114, Batu 4, Jalan Kelang Lama,
Kuchai Business Centre, Jalan Kuchai Lama, 58200 K.L.
Tel: (6)03-7984 3940
Business Hours: 10am - 10pm
素食可以很可口
吃素到底有何好处？根据《大戴礼记》其中一段：“食肉勇敢而悍，食谷智慧而巧”强调素食可提高智慧。由于不杀生，素食者增长慈悲心。其他好处如素食可防癌 、素食可减肥 、素食可美容……等。
素食者其中一些是因为宗教关系而吃素，另一些则是为了健康因素开始吃素，还有一些是由于受到父母、伴侣或友人的影响而吃素。在我身边的朋友当中有一些是素食者，陈万吉先生是其中之一。在他的推荐之下，我们到旧古仔路的素轩斋菜馆用餐。
餐馆设于与崇文华小为邻的商业区，中午时分天下着大雨，整个区挤满等待孩子放学的家长的车。为了解决停车问题，商业区的商家共同在学校后山开辟了一个停车场供客户使用。
素轩斋菜馆由明觉法师与厨师陈志炎所合创，强调不用味精、不用漂白盐，只用有机海盐及素食调味粉调味。厨师陈先生说：「双亲皆是素食者，所以自小便吃素。由于家族大多从事素食餐饮业，毕业后很自然地踏入这行。」陈先生在这个行业超过二十年，曾经到台湾素食馆学艺，脑中有数百道好吃的素食谱，还不断研究新菜色。
素扣肉拌鲜菇是一道新菜，以日本进口的素食材料作五花肉，外形虽然与五花肉很相似，味道却很清淡。素扣肉下采用多种新鲜菌类相拌，天然的清甜让我们留下深刻印象。招牌豆腐以水豆腐上面铺上一层苋菜泥及红萝卜碎，炸香后撒一堆类似虾米的脆渣，这一道豆腐可以看出厨师的用心。切得薄薄的莲藕裹上一层面糊炸至香脆，再淋上薄荷沙律酱，是一道中西合并的开胃小菜。嗜辣者一定会喜欢臭豆烧鱼及四大天皇，而酒糟豆腐除了水豆腐、红糟及少许盐之外，不再添加任何佐料。酒糟的酒精经煮后蒸发，留下淡淡的红糟味，与入口即化的水豆腐相得益彰，老少皆宜。
讲究养生健康，来一碗五谷米饭取代白米饭吧！含有丰富维生素及纤维的五谷米饭没想象中难以下咽，口感粗糙却煮得够柔软。在素轩斋菜馆用餐，健康与美食可以兼得。
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