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Ever since I posted the recipe of loh bak/five-spice pork rolls (卤肉) on Nyonya Food, many people have asked me for a vegetarian version of the recipe. Talking about vegetarian loh bak, I just can’t stress enough how great they are, and how I have missed my aunt’s version. They are simply the best and one of the great dishes that she makes.
I spent a huge chunk of my life (childhood until I went to college in KL) in my late grandmother’s home, with both my late grandmother and my aunt as my guardians. Every year, during the 9th month of the lunar calendar, my family in Penang celebrates “kau ong ea” or “Nine Emperor God” (九皇爷) festival. Like other festivities in Penang, this occasion calls for a big celebration where devotees follow a strict 9-day vegetarian fasting. During the festival, there are rows and rows of vegetarian food stalls sprouted all over town, serving freshly made and delicious vegetarian dishes…
When I was little, I would always look forward to kau ong ea. All my family would come together and fast during the last 3 days of the festival. That was when my aunt would bring out all the “vegetarian” pots, pans, and serving ware from the storage—they are used only once a year for the preparation, cooking, and serving of the vegetarian dishes. She would buy only vegetarian ingredients, including a special MSG in a golden tin that is specific for this festival. During the 3 days, she would make many vegetarian dishes such as this vegetarian loh bak, vegetarian duck (another favorite of mine) and other goodies. All my family members would then congregate to eat the vegetarian food she prepared.
I had a craving for vegetarian loh bak just a few days ago, so I called my aunt for the recipe. She told me over the phone the ingredients and the basic recipe. I made it just as soon as I got myself some yam and it was quite a success, even though it’s not quite as good as my aunt’s.
I am just so happy to savor these vegetarian loh bak and I wanted to share this recipe with you. I hope you get to taste the flavors of my childhood.
(Click Page 2 for Vegetarian Loh Bak Recipe)
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So. Gonna. Make. These!!! Thanks a million, Bee. They look and sound incredible. Getting the yams tomorrow! :)
Cheers
Ju
Great, let me know if it’s successful. :)
This looks delicious! I’m always on the lookout for vegetarian versions of my favorite dishes–particularly foods like these that I remember so fondly as a child. Thanks for sharing.
I love vegetarian food, too. Miss the kau ong ea’s festival.
Hi !
Thanks.
I made a recipe copy for my vegetarian mom.
She’d like Vegetarian Loh Bak.
Love
Wonderful. Thanks for sharing with your mother.
Hi Ms Nyonya Food
I happen to bump into your website by chance and I felt that I am so blessed….. I love cooking & baking and nothing can compromise that when my mood and creativities arrived. Love everything in your web, especially from the photos. I can see that you hv spent a lot of efforts in decorating the display the dishes/snacks which really catch my eyes. As I am also very particular in display. Great work. I have actually created a nyonya recipies and I will try them out and give you my feedback. Thanks again.
Welcome to Nyonya Food, hope to hear back from you. :)
Hi Bee,
I have enjoyed making your Kung Pao recipe and my family loved it. All your recipes are easy to follow because of the excellent instructions. I wan to try this Loh bak recipe but in Bangladesh we do not get Jicama or yam, so could you suggest an alternative. We do get sweet potatoes..would that be a good substitute? Would appreciate your advise.
Thanks…..Zeenath
Oh well, there is really no substitute for jicama but if you want, you can try daikon (white turnip) but it will not be quite the same.
Hi, you can use water chestnut as a substitute to jicama. It’s crunchy and taste good. Hopefully you can get it fresh or in cans.
sorry, but can u pls tell me another name for jicama bean.
It’s bangkuang.
Hi Bee
Cooked your vegetarian Loh Bak for my vegetarian frenz. They love it very much. The whole plate consist of 50 sticks & it finished in 5 minutes time. I am really happy. Do you have any other vegetarian recipe that you can share with us again.
Regards
Veronica
That’s great. Yeah, this is a great recipe. I don’t have that many vegetarian recipes but I love them.
I likes to try Rasa Malaysia food pls teach how to do it okey
thks
Hi,
I really like to eat Loh Bak, is the tofu skin the same as fucuk but square version normally displayed side by side? I really like & I want to try to make this, a recipe I’ve read before uses chicken, water chestnut, carrot + seasonings like u mentioned, u think this will work?
TQ, Selly
Wow, definitely a scrumptious recipe. I will really try this next week. :) Thank you for this wonderful recipe.
Actually, we eat MSG everyday, not only in asian foods. Even the sauces at McDonald’ss contain msg. But still, if the ingredients are fresh and of high quality we don’t need to rely on it. I spoke with asian people who believe using msg is a form of “cheating”. Actually a guy from hong kong recommended a excellent substitute for msg, something called Po lo ku mushroom seasoning. It still generates a savory flavor, but it’s named from shiitake mushrooms and sea salt.
Anyway, gonna try and cook some malay food for my girlfriend. Poor poor girl, her boyfriends obsession with asian food must be driving her nuts.
obs.. MADE from shiitake mushrooms..
Hi Bee, looks as good as the non-veg loh bak. I’ll have to look for these the next time I’m at a Chinese-veg restaurant in Penang.
Regarding MSG, I got more curious about it when I moved to Asia a long time ago. Growing up in the US, we are led to believe it is some toxic substance we have to avoid at all costs. Not sure of the reason, since after looking into it, there are no studies to prove it is any more dangerous to your health than adding salt. Like anything, it is best to use it in moderation. Problem is, for Americans the idea that MSG is bad is so ingrained in us, that it is impossible to change our minds.
Mark – I grew up eating MSG because my late mother thought that MSG is magic powder. LOL. I don’t use it anymore but I really don’t mind it at all. If you eat out in Asia, you’re bound to have MSG.
Love your website.. I m cooking for my parents tomorrow so will try making your lok pak!
Hi. thanks for this great recipe. do you have one for vegetarian duck please? I have tried it in London, and would love to be able to make it. often the only tofu available here are the soft ones. hope you can help. thanks. Mrs moon. <3