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Thread: 'Just Enough: Vegan Recipes and Stories from Japan's Buddhist Temples'

  1. #1

    'Just Enough: Vegan Recipes and Stories from Japan's Buddhist Temples'

    I have nearly finished slowly working my way through this and thoroughly recommend it for the following reasons:

    1. It's practical - there are 41 recipes to make and numerous variations on those recipes. These are recipes that Gesshin was taught and made continually during her three years in Nisodo Soto Convent in Nagoya, central Japan. So, these are easy to make, ordinary everyday food and not the haute cuisine shoyin ryori that is often called 'Buddhist Temple Food'. You are never going to be served 'Golden Japanese Curry' in a shoyin ryori restaurant. The recipes work well - I've written many of them up in my own recipe book for daily use.

    2. As vegan cooking it fits well with the vow to avoid harming sentient beings and the dishes work well with oryoki practice, which is how they were eaten in Nisodo.

    3. Alongside the recipes there are reflections on her time in Nisodo and the lessons that can be drawn from actually cooking. I loved these examples which, because of their rooted nature, have stuck in my mind. For example, if your miso soup smells of miso, there is too much miso in it. Likewise, if the first thing people see in your life is Zen stuff, then there is too much overt Zen in it. Zen practice should add to and bring out the flavors of the other ingredients.

    4. You get to hear her reflections on the development of her practice over many years including her return to Japan, time in the Tassajara kitchens, marriage, studies and later work with the homeless in the SF Bay Area.

    The books full details are 'Just Enough: Vegan Recipes from Japan's Buddhist Temples' by Gesshin Claire Greenwood, New World Library, 2019

    Stewart
    Sat Just Enough.JPG

  2. #2
    Thanks Stewart! Since my stroke 2 years ago, much of my time not working is spent on wholesome food prep. Looking forward to reading this.

    Gassho
    Jakuden
    SatToday/LAH


    Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro

  3. #3
    I will definitely check this out. I am a long-time vegetarian that recently started having what I believe are some dairy issues, so I have been doing more vegan meals. The reflections and additional content sound wonderful as well.

    Thank you for sharing, Stewart!

    Gassho,

    Ryan
    SatToday LAH
    墨眼 | Bokugan | Sumi Ink Eye
    Ryan-S | zazenlibrarian.com

  4. #4
    Treeleaf Unsui Nengei's Avatar
    Join Date
    Dec 2016
    Location
    Minnesota's Driftless Area
    This really is a great book.

    Gassho,
    Nengei
    Sat today. LAH.

  5. #5
    Thanks for the review and recommendation. I’m on it.

    Gassho

    Tōsei


    (ST)
    東西 - Tōsei - East West
    there is only what is, and it is all miraculous

  6. #6
    Some questions.

    How involved are the recipes?

    Are the ingredients something I can pick up at a traditional grocery store without a trip to whole foods or Japanese grocer (I am in the sticks here)?

    Is it time conservative or is there a lot of prep and cook time necessary?

    Gassho
    Kaisho (Chelsea)
    StLah

    Sent from my SM-A205U using Tapatalk

  7. #7
    Quote Originally Posted by Kaisho View Post
    Some questions.

    How involved are the recipes?

    Are the ingredients something I can pick up at a traditional grocery store without a trip to whole foods or Japanese grocer (I am in the sticks here)?

    Is it time conservative or is there a lot of prep and cook time necessary?

    Gassho
    Kaisho (Chelsea)
    StLah

    Sent from my SM-A205U using Tapatalk
    Hello Kaisho.

    To answer in reverse order:
    1. The recipes are mostly not complicated or involved - they were to be made by the nuns in the convent kitchen. A few ask for things to be soaked overnight, e.g. cashew nuts for a soup recipe. The only slight exception is some of the recipes for festivals but I've made some of those and they aren't complex.
    2. I would say that you'd need to go to a Chinese supermarket for some of the ingredients. Then you'd need to have the Chinese name for the same item but Google translate is accurate with one word translations.

    Hope that helps.
    Stewart
    Sat

  8. #8
    Likewise, if the first thing people see in your life is Zen stuff, then there is too much overt Zen in it. Zen practice should add to and bring out the flavors of the other ingredients.
    Lovely. Thank you for the recommendation.

    Gassho,
    Washin
    StLah
    Kaidō (皆道) Every Way
    Washin (和信) Harmony Trust
    ----
    I am a novice priest-in-training. Anything that I say must not be considered as teaching
    and should be taken with a 'grain of salt'.

  9. #9
    if the first thing people see in your life is Zen stuff, then there is too much overt Zen in it. Zen practice should add to and bring out the flavors of the other ingredients.

    Tairin
    Sat today and lah
    泰林 - Tai Rin - Peaceful Woods

  10. #10
    Quote Originally Posted by Stewart View Post
    Hello Kaisho.

    To answer in reverse order:
    1. The recipes are mostly not complicated or involved - they were to be made by the nuns in the convent kitchen. A few ask for things to be soaked overnight, e.g. cashew nuts for a soup recipe. The only slight exception is some of the recipes for festivals but I've made some of those and they aren't complex.
    2. I would say that you'd need to go to a Chinese supermarket for some of the ingredients. Then you'd need to have the Chinese name for the same item but Google translate is accurate with one word translations.

    Hope that helps.
    Stewart
    Sat
    Thanks for the follow up.

    Gassho

    Sent from my SM-A205U using Tapatalk

  11. #11
    Thank you

    Gassho
    David
    Sat

  12. #12
    Thanks Stewart.

    Gassho,
    Kenkū.

    sat & lah.

  13. #13
    Member Onka's Avatar
    Join Date
    May 2019
    Location
    Rural Queensland, so-called Australia
    Thanks for this Stewart
    Gassho
    Onka
    ST
    穏 On (Calm)
    火 Ka (Fires)
    They/She.

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