In Japanese Buddhism Shojin is a word used to denote elevation of the soul through intense focus on a single task. It's most often used to describe the ritualized cooking of vegetarian meals in Buddhist temples known as Shojin Ryori. During the preparation of Shojin Ryori cuisine monks go to the market and "greet" their vegetables. First, they smell each one individually. Then they use their fingers to massage the plant, and investigate it's texture. After that, they return home and slowly chop each one by hand. Nothing is wasted. The use of machines (including refrigerators) is frowned upon in Shojin Ryori, so cooks buy only as much as they need for a meal, and utilize every part of the plant. They spend hours grinding spices with a pestle and mortar. And then they create a dish which carefully balances the colors, textures, and flavor profiles of every ingredient. The end result is that the mundane, task of cooking vegetables is turned into a l
by Sensei Alex Kakuyo