WBuddhist cuisine is an Asian cuisine that is followed by monks and many believers from areas historically influenced by Mahayana Buddhism. It is vegetarian or vegan, and it is based on the Dharmic concept of ahimsa (non-violence). Vegetarianism is common in other Dharmic faiths such as Hinduism, Jainism and Sikhism, as well as East Asian religions like Taoism. While monks and a minority of believers are vegetarian year-round, many believers follow the Buddhist vegetarian diet for celebrations.
WAgedashi dōfu is a Japanese hot tofu dish. Firm silken tofu is cut into cubes, before being lightly dusted with potato starch or cornstarch and then deep fried until golden brown. It is then served in a hot broth made of dashi, mirin, and shō-yu, with finely-chopped negi, grated daikon or katsuobushi sprinkled on top.
WEdamame is a preparation of immature soybeans in the pod, found in cuisines with origins in East Asia. The pods are boiled or steamed and may be served with salt or other condiments. In Japan, they are usually blanched in 4% salt water and not served with salt. When the beans are outside the pod, the term mukimame is also sometimes used in Japanese.
WKoya-dofu also known as Shimi-dofu, Kori-dofu, or Koyasan-dofu is frozen-dried tofu, a Japanese pantry staple and an important ingredient in Buddhist vegetarian cookery. It originated from Japan. It is made of soy, coagulants, and baking soda. It looks like a hard sponge and needs to be soaked before use. It is mainly used in stews and soups.
WMiso soup is a traditional Japanese soup consisting of a dashi stock into which softened miso paste is mixed. In addition, there are many optional ingredients that may be added depending on regional and seasonal recipes, and personal preference. In Japanese food culture, Miso soup is a representative of soup dishes served with rice. Miso soup is also called Omiotsuke (御味御付).
WOkara, soy pulp, or tofu dregs is a pulp consisting of insoluble parts of the soybean that remain after pureed soybeans are filtered in the production of soy milk and tofu. It is generally white or yellowish in color. It is part of the traditional cuisines of Japan, Korea, and China. Since the 20th century, it has been used in the vegetarian cuisines of Western nations.
WTsukemono are Japanese preserved vegetables. They are served with rice as an okazu, with drinks as an otsumami (snack), as an accompaniment to or garnish for meals, and as a course in the kaiseki portion of a Japanese tea ceremony.