Stir-fried Rainbow Vegetables By Ken Hom (Serves 4-6)

Whoever said vegetarian food has to be dreary and boring was manifesting a total lack of imagination and a deficiency in the art of cookery. For example, here is a delicious vegetarian treat, appealing to the eye as well as the palate. The various colorful vegetables constitute the 'rainbow,' and they are stir-fried and served with crispy lettuce and hoisin sauce to create an unusual combination of tastes and textures. I use pressed seasoned beancurd as a tasty meat substitute. This dish makes a good finger-food starter for a dinner party or any festive occasion. The rainbow vegetable mixture, crispy noodles and lettuce leaves are served on individual platters, and the hoisin sauce in a small bowl. Each guest puts a helping of each ingredient into a hollow lettuce leaf, rather like stuffing a pancake or a taco, and similarly eats the filled leaf with his or her fingers.


• 100 g (4 oz) carrots
• 100 g (4 oz) tinned bamboo shoots
• 100 g (4 oz) courgettes
• 100 g (4 oz) celery heart
• 100 g (4 oz) red or green pepper (about 1)
• 100 g (4 oz) pressed seasoned bean curd
• 15 g (½ oz) Chinese dried mushrooms
• 225 g (8 oz) iceberg lettuce
• 1½ tablespoon groundnut (peanut) oil
• 1 tablespoon garlic, coarsely chopped
• 3 tablespoons shallot, finely chopped
• 3 tablespoons spring onion, finely chopped
• 2 teaspoons light soy sauce
• 2 teaspoons Shaoxing rice wine or dry sherry
• 3 tablespoons vegetarian oyster sauce
• ½ teaspoon salt
• ¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• Accompaniment: 4 tablespoons hoisin sauce

1. Peel and cut the carrots into 5 cm (2-inch) long, fine shreds. Cut the bamboo shoots, courgettes and pepper into 5 cm (2-inch) fine shreds also
2. Meanwhile gently fry the vegetables , garlic and herbs in the remaining olive oil until tender (about 10 mins) add the lentils and stock and cook for a further 5 mins.
3. Soak the dried mushrooms in warm water for 20 minutes, drain them and squeeze out any excess liquid. Trim off the stems and shred the caps into 5 cm (2-inch) long strips. Finely shred the celery heart, peppers and pressed bean curd. Separate and wash the lettuce leaves, spin the leaves dry in a salad spinner and set them aside in the refrigerator.
4. Heat a wok or large frying-pan over high heat until it is hot.
5. Add the oil, and when it is very hot and slightly smoking, add the garlic,shallots and spring onions and stir-fry for 20 seconds. Then add the carrots and stir-fry for another minute.
6. Now add the remaining vegetables (except the lettuce), the soy sauce, Shaoxing rice wine or dry sherry, vegetarian oyster sauce, salt and pepper and stir-fry the mixture for 3 minutes.
7. Turn onto a platter. Arrange the lettuce and noodles on separate platters, put the hoisin sauce into a small bowl, and serve at once.