• Buddha's Delight Salad by Audra Morrice

Any MasterChef fans here? MasterChef Australia finalist Audra Morrice has just launched a new cook book. Cook & Feast is a collection of impressive, mouth-watering, but easy to follow recipes. Perfect for showing off to your friends and family.

To celebrate the launch, she shared one of my favourite vegetarian dishes with Melbourne Lifestyle Blog. I love a good vegetarian salad, especially one filled with as many yummy and healthy ingredients as this one.


Buddha’s Delight Salad
SERVES 4

The original version of this divine vegetarian dish, traditionally enjoyed by Buddhists, is served by custom in Chinese homes on the first day of the Lunar New Year. I’ve created a fresh salad version for what is normally stir fried or braised. 




100 g (3.5 oz) fresh shiitake
mushrooms, sliced to ½-cm
(0.2-in) thickness
100 g (3.5 oz) fresh woodear
fungus, torn into bite-size
pieces
250 g (8.8 oz) small tofu puffs,
cut into half on the diagonal
2 Lebanese or ½ a telegraph
cucumber, halved, then sliced
on the diagonal
4 red radish, sliced thinly on a
mandolin
1 cup snow peas, stems and
stringy bits removed, blanched
for about 40 seconds in boiling
water
2 large red chillies, sliced thinly
on the diagonal
2 stalks spring onions, sliced
thinly on the diagonal
1 cup fresh coriander leaves
2 teaspoons white sesame seeds,
toasted
2 tablespoons crispy shallots

SESAME SOY DRESSING
8 teaspoons soy sauce
2 tablespoons brown rice vinegar
1 tablespoon sesame oil
8 teaspoons vegetable, rice bran
or grapeseed oil
3 teaspoons raw sugar
2 teaspoons lemon juice
2 teaspoons finely-grated ginger


Make the dressing by placing all the ingredients in an empty jar. Tighten the lid and shake till well combined. I always make extra dressing to keep in the fridge. Simply double the recipe. 

Place the mushrooms, tofu puffs, cucumber, radish, snow peas, chillies, spring onions, fresh coriander and sesame seeds in a large mixing bowl. Pour over the dressing and toss to combine. Top with crispy shallots. Serve immediately.

Cook & Feast
by Audra Morrice 
RRP AU$39.99