The previous article explored oil-free meat dishes. While some might believe that these dishes are delicious because they involve meat, this article focuses on crafting equally tempting vegetable dishes without oil. Are you ready to discover flavorful vegetarian options that don't rely on cooking oil? Dive in, and let's get cooking!

(1) Steamed Mushroom  

Among the various types of mushrooms, we can make a simple and easily accessible dish called steamed mushrooms by using oyster mushrooms. Start by thoroughly rinsing the oyster mushrooms and removing the base before washing them with water. To steam the mushrooms, mix them with other ingredients like chili, garlic, and culantro. Combine this mixture with rice powder, salt, and vegetable powder in a steaming pot. Once the mushrooms become tender, they're ready to be enjoyed with chili and culantro. This oil-free steamed mushroom dish is a delightful snack to accompany tea or can be served as a meal with rice, depending on your preference.

(2) Streamed Bamboo Shoot

This is a simple and easy-to-follow recipe for steamed bamboo shoots. Start by cutting the raw bamboo shoots and soaking them in water overnight (the longer they soak, the better). When you're ready to steam the bamboo shoots, rinse them thoroughly with water and allow them to dry completely. Next, prepare a mixture of smashed garlic, chili, and culantro. In a bowl, combine the bamboo shoots with rice powder, fish paste, salt, and the garlic mixture. Take washed banana leaves, add a suitable amount of bamboo shoots, and wrap them into small packages. Place the wrapped bamboo shoots in a steaming pot and steam them for around 30 to 45 minutes. Once a sweet fragrance fills the air and the bamboo shoots become tender, they are ready to be enjoyed.

(3) Steamed Choy Sum (mustard greens)

The ingredients mentioned here don't include a mixture of vegetables and meat, which is commonly found in monastery dishes. This recipe is for steamed choy sum, a type of vegetable. During the choy sum season, we can use the tender tips of choy sum for steamed vegetables. If choy sum is not available, we can use a mix of other vegetables as a substitute. To steam the choy sum, start by smashing and mixing ginger and garlic. Thoroughly clean and dry the choy sum, then mix it with rice powder, fish paste, salt, and the ginger-garlic mixture. Place everything in a pot, covered with banana leaves, and steam it for 30 to 45 minutes until it's ready to eat. If choy sum is not accessible, you can use other vegetables such as water spinach, pumpkin, bean plant, pea aubergine (turkey berry), or any other suitable options for steaming, following the same recipe as for choy sum.

The three methods mentioned above are essentially the same: to prepare all of these dishes at home, all you need is a rice cooker. Simply add water to the rice cooker and let it boil. Then, place a suitable tool inside the rice cooker. Add the prepared ingredients and cover it tightly to prevent the steam from escaping. 

(4) Teiline Traditional Soup  

Ingredients for this soup include potato, eggplant, turkey berry, long beans, okra, ridge gourd, chili, and basil. Start by boiling the potato first since it requires more time to cook. This soup is spicy, so also boil the chili to make it easier to paste. Cut the ingredients appropriately and wash them. Boil the fish paste soup and add the eggplant first. Once the eggplant is well-cooked and can be easily shattered with a spoon, peel the boiled potato and also shatter it, then add it to the eggplant soup. Add the chili paste and other vegetables, along with seasoning, to the soup. When the soup is well-boiled and the ingredients are thoroughly cooked, the recipe is finished. If there is any ingredient mentioned above that you don’t like, feel free to add what you prefer, such as gourd, bitter gourd, pumpkin, or pumpkin leaves.

(5) Bamboo Shoot Soup with Roasted Rice Powder 

It's easy to cook bamboo shoot soup. Bamboo shoots need to be soaked in water overnight, and then a handful of rice is roasted until golden brown over low heat. Crush the roasted rice in a mortar. You can use ready-made roasted rice powder, but I believe homemade is more aromatic. Also, paste the chili and basil.

Boil the fish paste and add the soaked bamboo shoots mentioned above. If you prefer, you can add chopped onions. Season the soup to taste. Once the soup is boiling, add the crushed roasted rice, chili paste, and basil. Allow it to simmer for as long as possible. When the bamboo shoots are well-cooked, the soup is ready to be enjoyed. Be aware that this soup may splatter if the lid is sealed tightly, so leave it slightly open.

All the oil-free recipes mentioned above are timeless traditional dishes. Being traditional, these dishes typically incorporate a variety of vegetables and are easy and simple to prepare without the use of oil. Traditional dishes may share similarities across regions.If you have other traditional dishes with similar characteristics, please share them. Happy cooking!