Chinese Vegetarian Food

Most Chinese vegetarians are vegetarian because of their religion: they are Buddhists, following the Buddhist teachings about minimizing suffering. In addition, many Yoga enthusiasts in China are vegetarians or vegans. In the same way that vegetarianism is popular with people who are very health-conscious in the West, in order to keep healthy and fit, more and more Chinese people who are not vegetarians or vegans tend to eat vegetarian food from time to time.
Can I survive in China as a Vegan or Vegetarian?
A Changing Land, a Changing DietVegans and vegetarians can find some difficulty in new and unfamiliar countries. China may seem a challenge in this regard. However, it may be far easier than most people realize.
Given food shortages, the China of the past saw meat as a rarity and ate it at every opportunity. Given the shortage, restaurants in those days tended to have a wide variety of vegetable rather than meat dishes. That changed with China's development, but recently there has been a reversion as standards of living have risen and people are seeking healthier lifestyles.
As a consequence, all-meat dishes are no longer deemed as acceptable. Indeed, where once people may have complained about an absence of meat, now complaints are more likely to come if a meal has a shortage of vegetables.
China Today
As of 2018, China had around 576 million people living in the countryside, some 40% of the population. China's cities are surrounded by farming towns and villages which serve the urban communities.
With improved roads and other means of travel, food can be transported from these rural surroundings and into the cities far more rapidly. As a consequence, locally-sourced foodstuffs arrive fresh in the cities, much of it vegetable produce.
and vegans, then, will find they are well catered-for in today's modernizing and rapidly-developing Chinese urban environment.Some Popular Vegetarian or Vegan dishes in China.
· Broad Beans with Lily Bulbs
· Lily Bulbs with Pakchoi
· Soybean Sprouts
· Braised Eggplant in Brown Sauce
· Fried Lettuce
· Stir-fried mushrooms
· Oyster Sauce with Pakchoi and Mushrooms
· Lotus Root with Green Pepper
· Fried Tofu with Peanuts and Red Pepper
· Dried Beancurd Sticks
Vegetarian Food is Widely Available in China
Vegetarian food is common and readily available in China, though vegetarianism is only practiced by a relatively small fraction of the population. Especially in the countryside, an emphasis on fresh vegetables makes Chinese cuisine perfect for vegetarians. The mainstays of Chinese cuisine, noodles, rice, tofu, and vegetables, are all fine for vegetarians.
Ingredients of Chinese Vegetarian Food
Besides a large variety of vegetables, Chinese vegetarian food often uses tofu (soft or dried bean curd), nuts, mushrooms, fungi, and water plants as its ingredients.
Interestingly, you will frequently find dishes resembling meat or seafood (as in the second photo, which shows a completely vegetarian dish, believe it or not). For example, in fried mock oyster, mashed tofu pieces are shaped like an oyster.
Besides good taste, Chinese vegetarian food emphasizes appearance, displaying a harmonious balance of colors and textures as well as flavors. This is especially true for the vegetarian restaurants that are associated with Buddhist temples or institutions, and may surprise a Western vegetarian.
How to Order
Although it is not hard to find vegetarian food in China on a menu if you speak the language, the language barrier may cause some confusion.
Many dishes that have meat in them can also be prepared without the meat. All you have to tell the waiter is what exactly you don't eat. The better restaurants, especially, will have no problem leaving the meat out of your dish to suit your preferences.
You should be clear and specific when telling the waiter what you don't eat, as their understanding of vegetarian dishes may not be the same as yours. For example they may think you only don't eat meat but things like eggs or honey are okay.
If you travel with us, the guides will be able to help you with this (as will the table below).
Useful English/Chinese Phrases to Help You Order
Chinese Vegetarian Dishes Menu
Here is a list of common Chinese vegetarian dishes and/or street food, with names in English, pinyin, English-style pronunciation, and Chinese characters.
English
Chinese Pinyin
Pronunciation
Characters
fried spicy vegetarian beef
xiāng là sù niúròu
sshyang laa soo nyoh-roh
香辣素牛肉
vegetarian sweet and sour spare ribs
sù chǎo tángcù páigǔ
soo chaoww tung-tsoo peye-goo
素炒糖醋排骨
vegetarian ham
sù huǒtuǐ
soo hwor-tway
素火腿
vegetarian ants climb tree (vermicelli with spicy silk noodles)
sù mǎyǐ shàng shù
soo maa-ee shung shoo
素蚂蚁上树
vegetarian drumstick with Western gravy
xizhī sù jītuǐ
sshee-jrr soo jee tway
西汁素鸡腿
crispy roast duck
cuì pí shāoyā
tsway pee kaoww-yaa
脆皮烧鸭
Luojiang fried bean duck
luōjiāng dòu yā
lwor-jyang doh yaa
罗江豆鸭
fried vegetarian crab meat
chǎo sù xièfěn
chaoww soo sshyeah-fnn
炒素蟹粉
seven-color shitake mushrooms
qícái xiānggū
chee tseye sshyang-goo
七彩香菇
fried pickled cabbage and bean sprouts
xuěcài chǎo dòuyá
sshwair-tseye chaoww doh-yaa
雪菜炒豆芽
cucumber and crushed garlic
Pāi huángguā
peye-hwung-gwaa
拍黄瓜
crispy tofu skin
cuìpí dòufu
tsway-pee doh-foo
脆皮豆腐
mixed salad with Chinese dressing
dàbàncài
aaa-ban-tseye
大拌菜
home-style tofu
jācháng dòufu
Jjaa-chaang doh-foo
家常豆腐
spicy tofu
málà dòufu
maa-laa doh-foo
麻辣豆腐
eggpant with peppers and potato
dìsānxiān
dee-san-sshyen
地三鲜
hand-torn fried cabbage with chili
shǒusī yuánbáicài
shoh-srr ywen-beye-tseye
手撕圆白菜
stir-fried celery and lily bulbs
xīqín bǎihé
sshee-chin beye-her
西芹百合
flash-fried broccoli
báizhuó xīlánhuā
beye-jwor sshee-lan-hwaa
白灼西兰花
needle mushrooms with cucumber
jīnzhēngū huángguā
jin-jnng-goo hwung-gwa
金针菇黄瓜
spinach fried with garlic
suànní bōcài
swann-nee bor-tseye
蒜泥菠菜
sauteed cabbage with mushrooms
xiānggū yóucài
sshyang-goo yoh-tseye
香菇油菜
fried egg with tomato
xīhóngshì chǎodàn
sshyee-hong-shrr c