The Finale of the Vegetarian Festival

Yesterday was the last day of the Nine Emperor Gods Festival and also marks the finale to the nine days ritual of fasting observed by the Buddhists and Taoists everywhere.
The Penangites believe that it will always rain during this period of 9 days in conjunction with the festival and particularly on the last day.
The rain will start early in the afternoon on the last day; before the voyage of the sending the Nine Emperor Gods to the sea.
The rain is meant to 'cleanse' the road for the journey which will take place from the Burmah Road temple to the jetty area, located near the Weld Quay where the Nine Emperor Gods will be worshipped and bade farewell by the devotees.

Typically the vegetarian diet will be observed during this period for 1, 3, or 9 days as the individual pleases.
The common ones would be the first 3 days or the last 3 days, or some just fast for 9 days in a whole but the winner will definitely be the last day, where everyone is almost a Vegetarian on that day of the grand finale.

Since yesterday was the last day, I also had the opportunity to observe some home-cooked vegetarian food by a generous and kind-hearted neighbor (God bless her soul) who offered to cook extra for Auntie.

Braised bean curd sheets with sweet peas, mushrooms

It was plain but simply tasty, even for a person who doesn't fancy beancurd sheets that much on a regular basis:)




Another simple combination of my favorite vegetables; cauliflowers, broccolis, mushrooms, carrots and sweet corn in stir-fried style

This dish has never failed to have a place in my heart:)



Roasted vegetarian duck

There were 2 variants in this particular dish; one was made from the bean curd sheets and the other was of gluten-based.

The key to this is actually never to put too much oil as the bean curd sheets will smell stale of OD on oil and also the taste of oil oozing when you put it into your mouth is not pretty!



And throw in some spice, the Vegetarian mutton curry cooked with potatoes.



There were some Vegetarian Sar Hor Fun which was ordered from a vegetarian restaurant along Burma Road


The Sar Hor Fun composed of the thicker version of the flat rice noodles braised with rice vermicelli which was pre-fried before pouring the thick soup broth over it.


As for desserts/appetizers/light snack - whatever you call it, Auntie even bought some Vegetarian cakes (Chai Kueh) for everyone to savor on

Not too oily eh?

I have seen Chai Kueh which overflows with oil sometimes *shudders*


A generous filling of mengkuang and mock shrimps



Goodbye, festival of the Nine Emperor Gods...and we will see you again next year:)