LSA Opinion: The best Jay food to eat during the Vegetarian Festival in Thailand

It’s that time of year again. Straight out of mooncake season and right before Halloween and Loy Krathong, the annual Vegetarian ‘Jay’ Festival is here again, and it’s time to indulge in a variety of Jay food dishes. This week, going meat-, alcohol-, and garlic-free, the team gathers at the table to discuss: what is your favourite Jay food dish?

The Vegetarian Festival — or Jay Festival — is one of the biggest and most popular festivals in Thailand, celebrated largely in Phuket and in Bangkok, too. During this time, participants observe a strict Jay diet that is similar (but not identical) to a vegan diet. Switching out various meats for plenty of vegetables, the festival is a Chinese celebration of the 9 Emperor Gods. The idea is to cleanse the body of heavy meats and heavily-scented vegetables. 

[Hero and Featured Image Credit: Ho Toan/Unsplash]

Whilst it has its roots in religious belief, the Vegetarian Festival is by no means exclusive. In the days leading up to the event, you’ll start to see yellow flags with red symbols pop up at supermarkets and stores. These indicate which foods are Jay, so those observing a Jay diet can easily identify what is available to them. Even those who are not observing a Jay diet are welcome to try the various, often limited-time-only products. In fact, those who are normally vegan or vegetarian, may enjoy this festival especially. 

Whilst you can find our full guide to special Jay food menus here, and our Dos & Don’ts to the season here, this week we’re digging a little deeper. Whilst not all of us are taking part in a Jay diet this year, all of us are familiar with the special dishes that only come around at this time of year. From fritters to fine dining, here’s a round-up of our favourite Jay food dishes in Thailand. Happy dining, and maybe see you in Yaowarat tonight.

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LSA Opinion: The best Jay food to eat during the Vegetarian Festival in Thailand

Fried tofu, corn, taro, and spring rolls

Look, the Vegetarian Festival is tofu’s time to shine. Never at any other time of year do you find so many different variations of this silken, soft, or firm soy product. Whilst I love the creativity, my favourite Jay snack is probably deep-fried tofu. Maybe I pair it with some corn fritters. Maybe I add on spring rolls. Maybe Jay food makes me even more unhealthy than my regular diet.
—LG, Content Writer

French fries

French fries. Can’t get more Jay food than that… Well, you can, but at least I can say I’m choosing to eat vegetarian when I order two XL fries at McD’s.
—ES, Senior Writer

Jay Tasting Menu at IGNIV

So my editor told me that beer is not acceptable on this occasion, so my answer would be whatever David Hartwig is doing this year. I was at IGNIV last year and it was a banger. This is coming from someone who cannot eat a salad to save his life.
—KV, Content Writer

Stir-fried tofu and bean sprouts

My favourite jay dish is stir-fried tofu with bean sprouts.
—TC, Content Writer

Galorji

The sticky rice flour, deep-fried until its skin is all crispy, and smeared with loads of sugar and sesame, may sound like a sugar nightmare for those without a sweet tooth. One bite might give you an extra sugary kick, enough for you to have a productivity boost for a whole day–or possibly a week. Still, galorji deserves more spotlight; at least these are better than mooncakes.
—PL, Features Editor

Jay baked goods

The idea of baked goods made without any eggs or butter might “ew” a lot of people, but I stan for all Jay and vegan bread whether it’s soft, dry, hard, or so sticky your teeth almost come off. They taste awful if you think of them as replacements to your traditional brioche, but I think of them as a different culinary sorcery that deserves to be appreciated as it is. Highly recommended on my list: Starbucks’ Sweet Potato Bun, Peko Peko’s pretzels, and Farmer’s Bread Country Nut Bread. DM me for more.
—PC, Content Writer