On April 12, Hsi Lai Temple’s Social Education and Outreach Department, in collaboration with the Buddha’s Light International Association (BLIA) Los Angeles Chapter – Hsi Lai Subchapter, hosted a Community of Practice (CoP) event titled “Cooking Class & the Buddha’s Teachings.” The cooking instructor, Venerable Man Deng, led nearly 70 English-speaking participants in a unique culinary and spiritual experience centered around one humble ingredient: tofu.

With cooking as a medium, the event invited attendees to explore Buddhist values like interdependence and harmonious coexistence. Venerable Man Deng demonstrated how tofu — when paired with different ingredients and flavors —can create diverse and delicious vegetarian dishes. Each recipe served as a metaphor for Buddhist principles, showing how different causes and conditions can come together in unity.

Before the cooking began, Venerable Hui Cheng, monastic advisor to the Hsi Lai Subchapter, opened the event with a session of mindful meditation, helping participants calm their minds and better appreciate the essential flavor of the food they would soon prepare.

Venerable Man Deng began by demonstrating a Tofu Salad Cold Dish, combining tofu with mixed greens, nuts, beets, and artichokes, topped with a refreshing dressing made of yuzu vinegar, honey, and ginger — a vibrant fusion of tangy and sweet.

Next was a comforting Braised Tofu with Mushrooms, where ginger was sautéed for aroma before mushrooms and tofu were simmered in vegetarian oyster sauce, creating a deeply savory dish.

The final course was a Southeast Asian–inspired Tom Yum Tofu, stir-fried with tomatoes, pineapple, eggplant, and Tom Yum paste for a spicy-sour flavor profile. Venerable Man Deng encouraged participants to customize the dishes to suit their tastes and shared where ingredients could be sourced locally, urging everyone to try these recipes at home.

“Smells amazing! Spicy and so flavorful! I need some rice with this!” exclaimed one attendee after the demonstration. The hands-on session that followed brought joy and laughter to the temple kitchen, as parents and children donned aprons and teamed up to cook. Children enthusiastically took up spatulas, and the room quickly filled with lively chatter and delicious aromas. Each group presented their completed dishes and exchanged compliments with fellow participants.

At the event’s close, BLIA Hsi Lai Subchapter President Lynette King presented flowers to Venerable Man Deng on behalf of the community, expressing heartfelt gratitude for her thoughtful guidance.

In his closing remarks, Venerable Hui Cheng reflected on the day’s lessons: “Every ingredient has its own unique qualities, just like every person. But with understanding, wisdom, and acceptance, we can blend harmoniously and create something beautiful together—just like in these dishes.”