Buddha Bowls

In case you’re still getting some fine warm weather (it’s very intermittent here in Lower Hutt, NZ, but the whole summer of ’23/24 was like that, alas), here are some nice fresh recipes which make a change from the usual salads. That is, the dishes are fresh, the fashion dates back a few years.

    “Buddha bowls” were very big for lunch in trendy little cafés in Adelaide round about 2019. You could call them warm salads, I suppose, though I hate that term, it always make me think of wilted lettuce, ugh! The dish may be found under different names—variants on the Hawaiian poke bowl, a similar idea, were briefly popular recently in American cuisine. A buddha bowl is served in deep single-serve bowls and typically consists of a mixture of fresh salad vegetables with a cooked starchy ingredient such as rice, another grain, or noodles, plus a protein component, sometimes but not necessarily tofu—it might be a hard-boiled egg, meat, or fish—and perhaps a cooked vegetable as well. You end up with a combo of warm and cold ingredients. The trick is to balance the food groups whilst making the result look colourful. Ingredients are not mixed together as in a typical salad but set in the bowl in groups. Just before eating, a tasty Asian-flavoured dressing is poured over the lot.

    Suggested dressings range from quite elaborate to simple. Variations are infinite. When a recipe uses peanut butter I sometimes substitute hummus. Rice wine vinegar is always a good component but you could use a wine vinegar or cider vinegar or substitute fresh lime or lemon juice. Instead of Asian flavours, a yoghurt dressing is another option: it adds a different taste dimension.

    Sometimes the recipes are heavy on the chilli but this is completely a matter of taste. Leave it out if you don’t like it; or, conversely, spice up your bowl a little with some drops of Tabasco or sweet chilli sauce.

    The combos are infinitely variable, and a Buddha bowl is ideal for using up leftover rice or noodles with whatever salad veggies you happen to have.

    My best tip? Add a couple of teaspoons of sesame oil to your bowl as the last touch before the dressing is added.

    I just love a “Buddha bowl” for lunch; very much so in summer but even sometimes in winter: it brightens up my day!

Quinoa For Your Buddha Bowl

Quinoa is a good option for the starchy component of a Buddha bowl. It has the big advantage for vegetarians and vegans of being full of protein as well. Just remember that it needs to be boiled until the grains show the tiny “tails”. I find it takes about 15 to 20 minutes once the water has come to the boil.

Buddha Bowl

“…We created a peanut and tahini dressing for drizzling over crispy tofu, quinoa, carrots, cucumbers, shredded cabbage, and crushed peanuts.

    “There are so many possibilities for how you can change up this vegan recipe. Use what veggies and proteins you have on hand and even create different creamy sauces. Green goddess, salsa, or tzatziki?—there are tons of possibilities. If you're gluten-free, make sure to use all gluten-free ingredients. If you’re looking for a healthy, filling, and flavorful lunch or dinner, look no further.”

For the Buddha Bowls:

* 12 ounces extra-firm tofu (cubed)  * 2 cups cooked quinoa

* 1 cup shredded carrots  * 1 cup shredded red cabbage

* 1 cup sliced English cucumber  * 1 cup bean sprouts

* 2 scallion [spring onions], sliced  * 3 tablespoons crushed peanuts

* 1 teaspoon salt  * 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper

* 1 teaspoon canola oil

For garnish:  * lime wedges  * cilantro [coriander]

For the Peanut Tahini Dressing:

* 1/4 cup peanut butter  * 1 tablespoon tahini

* 2 tablespoons brown sugar  *  1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar

* 1 tablespoon soy sauce  * 2 teaspoons ketchup

* 1 teaspoon crushed red pepper  * 1 teaspoon garlic powder

* 1 teaspoon grated ginger  * 1 teaspoon chopped cilantro [coriander]

* 1 teaspoon lime juice  * 1/2 teaspoon onion powder

1. Gather the ingredients.

2. Add the cubed tofu onto a paper towel-lined baking sheet. Add another paper towel on top of the tofu and weigh it down with another pan to remove as much of the liquid as possible. Leave weighed down for about 10 minutes. Add salt and pepper.

3. Heat up a large sauté pan and add the canola oil. Fry the tofu on medium-high heat, turning to brown on at least two sides. Remove from the pan and set aside.

4. Gather the ingredients for the dressing.

5. Blend all of the dressing ingredients in a blender or food processor until completely smooth. Add a tablespoon of water and blend again until smooth and creamy.

6. Mix a 1/4 cup of the dressing into the cooked quinoa.

7. Divide the quinoa among four bowls. Top with the crispy tofu, carrots, cabbage, cucumbers, bean sprouts, scallions, and crushed peanuts.

8. Drizzle the extra dressing over the bowls to your taste. Garnish with lime wedges and cilantro. Serve immediately.

–Serves 4

Source: Leah Maroney. The Spruce Eats, 22 Jun 2020,

https://www.thespruceeats.com/buddha-bowl-4843340

    The quinoa could be replaced with another grain, as the options suggest in this next, non-vegetarian recipe.

Grain Bowls With Chicken, Spiced Chickpeas, and Avocado

“A store-bought rotisserie chicken brings you one step closer to a nourishing grain bowl dinner.”

* 4 cups cooked quinoa, farro, barley, or brown rice

* 4 cups shredded cooked chicken (from 1 rotisserie chicken)

* 2 mini seedless [Lebanese] cucumbers, halved, sliced

* 2 avocados, halved, pitted, sliced

* 4 cups watercress or baby arugula [rocket]

* 1/2 cup pickled red onions  * 4 teaspoons toasted sesame seeds

For the chickpeas:

* 1 (15.5-ounce [450g) can chickpeas, drained, rinsed, patted dry

* 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin  * 1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper

* 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt  * 2 teaspoons olive oil

For the dressing:

* 1 1/2 cups parsley leaves  * 3/4 cup mint leaves

* 1 1/4 cups extra-virgin olive oil  * 6 tablespoons lemon juice

* 1 teaspoon honey  * 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

Make the chickpeas:

Heat oil in a large skillet over medium. Cook chickpeas, cumin, and cayenne, shaking to coat, until heated through. Increase heat to medium-high and cook, shaking occasionally, until chickpeas are golden brown and crisp, about 10 minutes. Transfer to paper towels and season immediately with salt.

Make the dressing:

Meanwhile, pulse parsley and mint in a food processor until finely chopped. Add oil, lemon juice, honey, and salt and pulse to combine.

Assemble the bowls:

Toss quinoa with 1/2 cup dressing in a large bowl. Divide among serving bowls. Toss chicken with 1/4 cup dressing in same large bowl. Arrange chicken, cucumbers, avocados, and watercress over quinoa. Drizzle remaining dressing over each. Top with chickpeas, pickled onions, and sesame seeds.

–Serves 4.

Source: Anna Stockwell. Epicurious, April 2016,

https://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/grain-bowls-with-chicken-spiced-chickpeas-and-avocado

    The next two with quinoa are both vegetarian recipes from a listing of October 2021 on the big Aussie cookery website Australia’s Best Recipes: “6 wellness recipes to help you eat fresh”. The first includes roasted pumpkin. I don’t advise turning your oven on just to roast a piece of pumpkin! But if you’ve got some left over from a roast dinner, it would be ideal. Otherwise, I’d steam or boil it and then sauter it in a bit of olive oil. Omit the chilli flakes if you’d rather.

Health Cleanse Bowl

“This bowl is full of detoxifying goodness. Carrot and beetroot are loaded with antioxidants that fight free radicals in the body – and help stimulate the liver, your main cleansing organ. Turmeric is a powerful anti-inflammatory superfood [sic: take this with a grain of salt!] and, combined with the healthy fats from tahini and olive oil, makes for a delicious and incredibly nutritious dressing.”

* 1/2 cup quinoa cooked  * 1/4 butternut pumpkin

* 1/2 avocado cubed  * 1 carrot grated  * 1 beetroot grated

* 2 handfuls spinach  * 1 tablesp olive oil  * 1 pinch sea salt

To decorate: * 1 sprinkle sesame seeds  * 1 sprinkle chilli flakes

Dressing:

* 1 tablesp tahini  * 1 tablesp olive oil

* 1 tsp turmeric powder  * 1 tablesp lemon juice

1. Preheat the oven to 180C.

2. Slice the butternut pumpkin into long wedges and arrange on a tray lined with baking paper. Roast in the oven for 35 - 40 minutes, or until cooked through and slightly caramelised.

3. Meanwhile, make the dressing by adding all the dressing ingredients in a small bowl and whisking until combined.

4. Divide the quinoa, avocado, grated carrot and beetroot, spinach and roasted pumpkin between two bowls. Drizzle over the dressing.

–Serves 2.

Jess Sepel. Australia’s Best Recipes,

https://www.bestrecipes.com.au/entertaining/galleries/wellness-recipes/noj5ojjs

    The second recipe zings it up a bit with Mexican-stye ingredients, but for those who can’t take chilli, fear not, this time, oddly enough, it doesn’t appear. As for slicing the avocado thinly—that would be a very underripe one. If you’ve got a ripe one just pop it in chunk by chunk. The corncob could be replaced by frozen corn kernels, quickly boiled.

Healthy Mexican Bowl

“When people say you should eat the rainbow, I think this is what they mean. Eating a wide variety of wholefoods is one way to ensure your diet is full of the nutrients and minerals your body needs to thrive. I love this Mexican bowl with crunchy corn, wholegrain quinoa, fresh salsa and guacamole [sic]—of course! Enjoy for a light lunch or dinner.”

* 1 can organic black beans drained, rinsed  * 1 corncob

* 1/2 cup quinoa rinsed, drained  * 1/2 green capsicum diced

* 2 tomatoes diced  * 1 avocado  * 1/2 red onion finely sliced

* 1 lime  * 1 tsp turmeric powder

To serve: *1 handful parsley  * 1 tsp black sesame seeds

* 1 tsp pepitas [pumpkin seeds]

1. Place a medium-sized pot of water on the stove over high heat. Once the water reaches boiling point, carefully place the corn in the water to cook for 10 minutes.

2. In a separate pot, place the rinsed quinoa and cover with 1 cup of water. Bring to the boil over medium high heat, then reduce to a simmer. Leave to simmer, uncovered, until the quinoa is cooked and the water has evaporated (about 12-15 minutes). When the quinoa is ready, mix through the turmeric powder and a sprinkle of salt.

3. When the corn is cooked, drain and leave to cool slightly before using a sharp knife to remove the kernels from the core.

4. Heat a fry pan over medium heat, add the black beans and gently cook until warmed through.

5. Placed the diced tomatoes, capsicum and red onion together in a bowl and squeeze 1/2 the lime over. Mix through.

6. Halve the avocado, remove pip and slice thinly.

7. In two bowls place the quinoa, corn, black beans and tomato mix. Place the avocado on top and sprinkle with sesame seeds, pepitas and fresh parsley. Squeeze remaining lime over bowl for extra flavour.

–Serves 2.

Jess Sepel. Australia’s Best Recipes,

https://www.bestrecipes.com.au/entertaining/galleries/wellness-recipes/noj5ojjs

Rice For Your Buddha Bowl

If you’re being very health-conscious, you could use brown rice as in this next recipe, from the same listing as the previous two. But if the Buddha ever had a bowl he would probably have had white rice. Take your pick. Brown rice takes longer to cook but if you’ve got a rice cooker, it will cook either equally well. However, it’s a safe bet that the Buddha never had smoked salmon in his bowl! The recipe notes suggest you could substitute chicken, beef, or more vegetables, but I must say the salmon would be delicious! The recipe was created for the Aussie film actor Chris Hemsworth (aka Thor) by his “nutrition and diet consultant”, but don’t let that put you off!

Salmon Sushi Bowl

* 180g smoked salmon  * 1/2 bunch of broccolini

* 1 1/2 cups pre-cooked brown rice—prepare to packet instructions

* 80g edamame frozen, defrosted, podded

* 2 carrots medium julienned  * 1/2 avocado sliced

* 2 nori sheets cut into fine strips  *3 tsp black sesame seeds

* 1 pinch salt and pepper to taste

Dressing:

* 3 tsp soy sauce  * 3 tsp mirin

1. Heat a frypan over medium-high heat. Add broccolini to frypan and cook, tossing for a few minutes.

2. Make dressing by mixing soy sauce and mirin together in a small bowl.

3. Divide rice between two bowls, top with salmon, broccolini, edamame beans, carrot, avocado, nori and sesame seeds. Season with salt and pepper, and serve with dressing.

–Serves 2.

Source: Sergio Perera/Centr. Australia’s Best Recipes,

https://www.bestrecipes.com.au/entertaining/galleries/wellness-recipes/noj5ojjs

Quick Vermicelli Noodles For Your Buddha Bowl

I love bean thread vermicelli noodles. They’re so very quick to cook (just pour boiling water over), and have a light texture which is non-clogging to digest. I much prefer them to rice noodles.

    This is one of my own recipes for a tasty lunch with a yummy dressing. The vegetables are what I happened to have at hand, but the combo turned out well.

Buddha Bowl with Tofu, Leeks, Brussels Sprouts and Peanut Butter Dressing

Your Buddha bowl should be a fairly deep bowl which allows you to display the colourful ingredients, warm on one side and cold on the other. It’s a good idea to have all the salad ingredients ready to pop in as soon as the cooked ingredients are ready.

Salad ingredients:

* 1 medium tomato  * 1 cup (about) loosely packed salad greens/herbs, e.g. flat-leaved parsley, curly endive

Hot ingredients:

* 1/2 dozen 2-cm cubes firm tofu

* 1 serve bean-thread vermicelli noodles

* 3 or 4 small Brussels sprouts (or broccoli sprigs)

* 4 - 5 cm good-sized leek (mixed green & white parts)

* 1 1/2 tablesp oil

Dressing:

* 1 tablesp peanut butter  * juice 1/2 large lemon

* 1 - 2 tsps raw or brown sugar  * 2 tsps rice wine vinegar

* 1 scant tablesp fish sauce  * 1 1/2 tsps salt-reduced soy sauce

* 1 - 2 tsps sesame oil

Optional: * few drops Tabasco

1. Place noodles in a bowl, cover with boiling water. They will be ready in 10 minutes. Keep covered in their water till ready to use.

    (One small bundle of bean-thread vermicelli noodles easily makes 2 serves. If using a variety which comes in larger bundles you will have to prepare a whole bundle. Unused portions may be kept, drained, in the fridge in a sealed container for a couple of days. If using leftover cooked noodles, prepare in the same way.)

2. Rinse and dry the salad greens; roughly chop or tear into bite-size pieces or smaller. Wash, dry, core and roughly chop the tomatoes. Set aside.

3. Rinse, dry trim and finely slice the Brussels sprouts and the leek (4 or 5 cm of a good-sized leek makes 1/4 to 1/2 cup).

4. Drain the tofu, pat dry with paper towels, and cut into 2-cm cubes.

5. Heat 1 1/2 tablesp oil in a small frying pan on medium-high heat. Add the tofu. Do not stir. Cook for several minutes until crisp and browned underneath, then turn and fry the other sides.

6. While the tofu is frying, make the dressing. In a small serving bowl, add the lemon juice to the peanut butter and mix well until amalgamated. If the peanut butter is very stiff, add 1 or 2 tsp hot water. Add the sugar and mix well until dissolved. Next, add the rice wine vinegar, fish sauce and soy sauce, mixing each in well. Set aside.

7. Remove the cooked tofu from the pan, and place in your Buddha bowl, to one side. Turn down the heat to medium, add sprouts and leeks to pan, sauter for a few minutes until starting to wilt. If you prefer them more cooked, turn the heat down to medium-low, cover with lid, and cook a few minutes more.

8. Drain the noodles well, and add 1 serving of them (1/2 to 3/4 cup) to the pan. Stir through quickly with the cooked vegetables, turn off the heat and add to your buddha bowl next to the tofu, leaving a space for the remaining ingredients.

9. Add the salad ingredients to the bowl in separate piles.

10. To serve, drizzle with 1 or 2 tsps sesame oil (to taste). Place your Buddha bowl and your dressing bowl on the table. Pour as much of the dressing on as desired. Sprinkle with Tabasco if liked.

Notes: Try to keep the hot and cold components separate in the bowl as you eat, but try making up mixed mouthfuls from each side of the bowl as you go. Yum!

    Any leftover dressing will keep well covered in the fridge for several days and may be used as the base of your next dressing.

–Serves 1 for lunch or dinner.

    Lastly, we have a New Zealand recipe loosely based on Vietnamese cuisine. Add the fine noodles as the author suggests and you have a delightful “Buddha bowl”. Personally I would soak the cashew nuts for an hour or so beforehand and chop them finely, rather than use roasted ones; I’ve got more respect for my teeth. And I certainly don’t recommend salted ones, you’ve already got fish sauce in the dish. As for the chillis—use your judgment! You could always substitute a little finely sliced red capsicum, for colour and taste without the heat.

Vietnamese Chicken Salad

“Add cooked fine noodles if you wish.”

For the dressing:

* 1/3 cup fresh lime juice  * 1/3 cup fish sauce

* 2 red chillies, seeded and chopped  * 2 tablesp brown sugar

For the salad:

* 500 g [cooked] chicken, skinned and boned, shredded

* 3 cups cos lettuce, shredded  * 1 cup mint leaves

* 1 cup coriander leaves

For the topping: * 1/2 cup roasted cashew nuts, salted

1. Whisk the dressing ingredients until the sugar is dissolved.

2. Place the salad ingredients in a bowl and toss gently to mix. Drizzle with the dressing and toss to combine. Top with the nuts.

Serve immediately.

–Serves 4.

Source: Jan Bilton. Eat Well, 3 Feb, 2017,

https://www.nzherald.co.nz/eatwell/recipes/vietnamese-chicken-salad/LTJ6O5MJRE3Q4DVT7X6VARKOLI/

    To add the noodles, prepare them as in the preceding recipe and add them to the bowl before the salad ingredients. Don’t mix the salad into them, but place it beside them or on top of them, then drizzle the dressing over all.

    I hope these recipes have given you some useful suggestions and you’ll enjoy your Buddha bowl. The bowls are infinitely variable, so use whatever ingredients you prefer.

    Till next time—or, to quote E.F. Benson’s famous Lucia and her friend and arch-rival Daisy Quantock: “Om!”