Apple & Chestnut Shira-ae: Autumn Ingredients, Meet Ancient Insights

Ringo to Kuri no Shira-ae・りんごと栗の白和え

Shira-ae (白和え) literally translates as "dressed in white." The technique is rooted in the Zen Buddhist monastery kitchens of Japan, and the traditional monastic vegan cuisine known as shojin ryori.

What I like about this technique is the transformational aspect. The main ingredient itself—tofu—becomes suprisingly rich and creamy, with a little help from the toasted white sesame paste, despite it being more or less pure protein. So much so, that you find yourself wondering how this can be vegan. The simplest ingredients become something profoundly new and nourishing.

Ringo to Kuri no Shira-ae © 2025 Tenzo's Kitchen LLC

As autumn arrives with its crisp mornings and shortened days, the natural rhythm of seasonal change is undeniable. The opportunity to celebrate fall's unique gifts is calling: the sweet crispness of just-picked apples, the earthy richness of fresh chestnuts. Shōjin ryōri—and Japanese cuisine in general for that matter—teaches us that each season offers its own medicine, its own particular way of nourishing body, mind, and spirit. Don't let these fleeting treasures pass unnoticed, missing the cues that nature provides.

This special recipe for Apple & Chestnut Shira-ae bridges ancient wisdom and autumn's abundance. By applying this centuries-old technique to fall's most celebrated ingredients, we create a dish that honors both the season's gifts and the Buddhist principle of acknowledging that all we need is what we have in this moment.

Rather than following the standard shira-ae preparation, which typically includes carrots, spinach, and edamame, I am intentionally taking this in a different direction. This recipe deviates from that to demonstrate both the versatility of the dressing and the joy and wonder that awaits when we abandon a fixed mindset, a preconceived concept of what something is or should be.

The naturally moist sweetness of apple serves as a counterpoint to the nutty—almost woody—richness of chestnut, while the traditional tofu-sesame dressing provides grounding earthiness to tie it all together. A perfect embodiment of autumn's balance of light, shadow, and the elements.

This dish serves as both practical nourishment and spiritual practice. Serve it as an elegant side dish that brings seasonal awareness to your autumn table, or enjoy it as a mindful afternoon snack that grounds you in the present moment. The gentle preparation process—pressing water from tofu, grinding sesame seeds by hand (a practice unto itself in Japanese Buddhist monasteries called gomasuri), carefully folding in the seasonal ingredients—becomes itself a form of meditation, teaching us to find stillness and gratitude in the simple task of preparing a meal.

Step into your kitchen with the reverence of a monastery cook. Gather autumn's gifts—crisp apples, starchy chestnuts—and discover how this time-honored technique can transform both ingredients and cook alike. In creating this shira-ae, you're not just preparing food; you're participating in an ageless conversation between season, sustenance, and spirit.