People in the Song Dynasty favored vegetarian cuisine, believing that while meat might be flavorful, it carrie…
People in the Song Dynasty favored vegetarian cuisine, believing that while meat might be flavorful, it carried an air of vulgar luxury. Vegetarian dishes, by contrast, conveyed elegance and refinement. One such dish was Fried Mock Meat. As described in Offerings from the Mountain Home, this delicacy is prepared by thinly slicing bottle gourd and gluten, seasoning them separately. Fry seitan in oil and bottle gourd in animal fat, toss both into scallion oil (prepared separately), then stir-fry with rice wine. Though entirely plant-based, the texture and flavor are so convincing that it's nearly indistinguishable from real meat.