5 Days of Religion – Wesak

At Brunel, we have a passion for people. We foster an inclusive culture within our organization, and we are proud of the diversity among all our colleagues. To promote an even more inclusive and diverse organizational culture, we are launching the initiative ‘5 Days of Religion’ to raise awareness within Brunel. We will do this by highlighting five different religious celebrations. This time we'll focus on Wesak, a special Buddhist holiday. A beautiful moment to reflect on the Buddhist faith and traditions.

Wesak commemorates the birthday, death anniversary, and 'enlightenment' of Siddhartha Gautama, also known as Buddha. It always occurs on a full moon in spring, marking all three events. Buddha is believed to have been born on such a full moon about 2500 years ago and passed away at the age of eighty, after the moon had become full a thousand times thereafter. But why celebrate enlightenment? Enlightenment is the ultimate goal for Buddhists, freeing oneself from all suffering and sorrow through profound life wisdom. Achieving this typically spans multiple lifetimes; Buddhists believe in reincarnation for continued learning after death.

Buddhists believe that meditation, spiritual and physical labor, and good behavior are the ways to achieve enlightenment. One form of this can be being mindful about what you consume. Many Buddhists follow a vegetarian diet due to the principle of nonviolence and the avoidance of suffering. That's why we've selected a delicious vegetarian recipe for you to try (and enjoy!).

• 2 stems of lemongrass
• 2 spicy chili peppers, seeds removed and finely chopped
• 3 cloves of chopped garlic
• 1 tbsp rasped fresh ginger
• 1 tbsp vegetable oil, such as peanut or coconut oil
• 1.5 liters vegetable broth
• 2-3 medium tomatoes, diced
• 400 ml coconut milk
• 1½ tbsp rasped lime peel
• 3 tbsp light soy sauce
• 220 g firm tofu, cubed
• 60 g mushrooms, sliced
• 60 ml lime juice
• 1½ tbsp raw cane sugar
• ½ tsp salt (or to taste)

- Remove the top leaves from the lemongrass, bruise the entire stem with the side of your knife or a pestle to release as much flavor as possible into the soup, and cut the stems into quarters.
- Rub the spicy chili peppers with the garlic and ginger in a mortar until they form a paste.
- Heat the oil in a large pot over medium heat and cook the lemongrass and chili paste for about 3 minutes, until the aromas are released.
- Add the vegetable broth, tomatoes, coconut milk, lime peel, and light soy sauce, stir well and bring to a boil.
- Reduce the heat and let it simmer gently with the lid on the pot for 15 minutes.
- Add the tofu and mushrooms to the pot and cook for another 8 minutes.
- Then add the lime juice and sugar.
- Season with salt and serve.

It is tradition that food on Wesak is made in a round shape or served in a round dish, so it resembles the full moon. So don’t forget to serve the soup in a nice bowl!

Would you like to share your story too? Or do you have another delicious recipe for the upcoming religious days? Mail to content@brunel.net!