Vegetarian Delights

Mixed vegetables symbolizes family harmony for the Chinese New Year celebration.  So, this dish is often served during the CNY.  I have no idea since when that I have also started cooking the vegetarian delights during the CNY.  I used to add bean paste into this dish but this year I omitted it.  I think I prefer it without the bean paste and strangely I didn't hear any complaint from my daughters.  Even, the picky eater Evy didn't complaint of the mushroom and weird looking stuff in this dish and finished everything I gave her on her plate of rice.  Yeah that was strange as she would always be the first to complain.  Not many American born Chinese little girls can stomach this dish okay, so I am really proud of her and Edda.

Ingredients:

Lotus root, slice and soak in water to prevent discoloration
Wood ear fungus, soak til soften
Dried bean curd sticks, soak til soften then cut into pieces
Dried lily buds (golden needle), soak til soft, cut off the tip and tie a knot
Hijiki seaweed, soak til soften
Bamboo shoot
Shiitake mushroom (fresh/dried), if used dried, soften and then marinate it with soy sauce, sesame oil and white pepper
Glass vermicelli noodle, soften in water
Green cabbage, washed and tear into pieces

Seasonings:
Oyster sauce (for vegetarian or vegan, use vegetarian oyster sauce)
Homemade sweet rice wine
White pepper

Method:

1,  In a large pot, add in a little oil.  Fry the lotus root until cooked.  Then, add in dried bean curd sticks, fry for a little while.  Then, add in cabbage, shiitake mushroom, wood ear, golden needle and bamboo shoot.  Stir to mix well.

2.  Add in seasonings except white pepper.  Let it simmer for 20 minutes.  Add some water if needed.

3.  Lastly, add in hijiki and glass noodle, turn off heat and add dashes of white pepper.  Stir a little to mix.  Serve!