Growing up, meat was always part of my diet. I only ate plants when I had cold soba or bibimbap during visits to Buddhist temples. However, my belief that I always needed meat changed when I attended a meditation retreat a few years ago and tried recipes from Zen monasteries. Contrary to my expectations, the monks’ food was nourishing and savory. Adding Goma-Shio (sesame and salt in Japanese) intensified the flavor.
