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[title]What exactly is shojin ryori?
‘Shojin ryori, otherwise also known as temple or Buddhist cooking, is one of the classic Japanese cuisines. It has about 800 years of history; its origin is well documented in the book ‘典座教訓’ (Tenzo Kyokun). This book, which is one of the oldest in Japan, explains the philosophy of cooking and eating in Japan. In fact, most of Japan’s food culture, such as kaiseki ryori, comes from this book.’
What can you eat...
‘Temple cuisine is based on Buddhist philosophies. Buddhism teaches us to abstain from killing, and so neither meat nor fish can be eaten. Hence, dried bonito, a popular ingredient in Japanese cuisine (especially in soup stock), is prohibited. Soups in shojin ryori is therefore made with dried kelp, dried mushroom, vegetables, grains or beans.
‘In temple cuisine, we also don’t consume certain food called gokun, such as garlic and onion. There are various reasons for this, but mainly because the strong smell can stimulate desire, and temple cuisine must keep monks away from lust.’
Soup made with dried kelp
Looks like chicken and egg flakes, but both are made with tofu
So if you just cook without meat, fish or gokun, does that make it shojin ryori?
‘The answer is ‘no’. You can’t call it temple cuisine without adhering to these principles. When cooking temple food, we need to be in these three frames of mind.
‘Tai-shin (loosely means ‘big mind’) is about staying calm and not getting angry or irritated easily. Ro-shin (or the ‘parental mind’) refers to your conscience; it’s about handling each ingredients carefully and respectfully as if they were your own children. Lastly, there’s ki-shin (‘precious mind’), which is about being glad and thankful for the present and for being able to cook.’
How to enjoy shojin ryori...
‘Unlike other kinds of food, we need to be thoughtful when eating shojin ryori. It is important to be mindful, and concentrate on your food. For example, handle your food with care and use both hands when dealing with chopsticks and the dishes. While chewing, focus on how the food tastes while resting your hands on your knees. Also, remain quiet while enjoying your meal; it’s all about respect and appreciation.’
Why shojin ryori?
‘Shojin ryori is getting a lot of attention at the moment, especially in cosmopolitan cities with diverse cultures, partly because of its no-waste philosophy. In this type of cooking, each ingredient should be dealt with care as not to be wasteful. Plus, while there are restrictions (ie not using certain ingredients and even some vegetables), the result is still flavourful.
‘It is a holistic philosophy. It’s not just what you eat but also how your eat. This mindfulness make it an important virtue to have in this the modern age where we are often overwhelmed with food choices.’
For more information about Ryokusenji temple, click here.