Spinach

[jessesuomi]

My friend, you sure get wound up when someone differs in opinion.
Yeah, Hindu and Buddhism are very different, and both have different dietary restrictions which may offer someone some ideas for vegan food.
Now, you may talk the talk and blah blah, but my good sir, India is a big and complex society and unless you travelled every corner and such and stayed in each place for years learning these things, I take your ideas with a grain of salt. Of course being in the trade, I will use Fluer de Sel of course.

Here is some info that you may argue with, its number is a bit low with the vegetarian part... but still. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Indian_cuisine
For anyone else wanting to look around, tons of info out there in cyberspace. M Jaffery also has some good basic books.

Mr Raamv or whatever.. my point in stating that much of Indias pride in the food is the use of spices, herbs and vegetables is for someone who asked about vegan options so maybe they can look past some items on the recipe and go from there. Omit Chicken or Shrimps for a curry and focus on the method of curry instead of the need to make "chicken curry". After all curry is not a dish but a method. Why not use other ingredients to suit the purpose. However, they would need to find a substitute for the dairy product to make it vegan.

Im sorry you feel the need to get defensive about someone offering up some advice. My trade is working in the food business and I take what I do quite seriously and dont believe in the bastardization of cultural foods. Curry from a packet...pre-made masala and garam powders... come on. Its crap.

I wont even go down the road of lacto-ovo-pseudo vegetarianism. In the culinary world, if you eat an animal, you arent veggie.

Keep it real. Let us know how you feel about tex-mex burrito or some kalakukko next

[sinikala]

And I meant to add...So poppadoms are from South India, then?? Also which of the various Indian cuisines would be the most vegan...you know, fruits, vegetables, nuts, and minimal, or no, animal products such as milk, cream, butter, eggs??

Well Most Indian food are vegans....and If never added milk products, then i should say that its equally split between North Indian Masala and South Indian Sambhar(spicy Lentil in tamarind sauce)..but thats IMNSHO...

So I've been lied too for so long? I think maybe the cuisine is a bit more varied than to say most if Vegan. Along the coast much seafood is eaten. North and the copious amount of Ghee and dairy (and people thought that the French used dairy!). Perhaps the fundanmental aspects of the dishes are comprised of more vegetables. Last I researched less than 40% of Indians though were vegetarians let alone vegan.
I think there is much you can do and omit some of the meat based protiens to create the more wholistic vegan approach. Or perhaps look up a hindi or buddhist cook book based out of India as it is their dieatary restrictions that might offer the greater insight.

Yup, lots of ghee = vegetarian, not vegan.

I was in Rajasthan for 3 weeks in December, those dishes which were not swimming in ghee had paneer either in it or grated on top as a decoration.

Locals seemed surprised that a Westener would not eat meat.

[raamv]

My friend, you sure get wound up when someone differs in opinion.
Yeah, Hindu and Buddhism are very different,

Were you either? If not then ST Fcku up bcos I was a Hindu ( Still considered by many in India as one ).
and do you know the difference bettwen a Hindu and a Buddhist? or which one encompasses the other? and Have you read the Rig, Yajur, Atharvana and Sama vedas in Sanskrit to understand what they are for? can you answer whether a Hindu can eat meat or not? and why?

and both have different dietary restrictions which may offer someone some ideas for vegan food.

you are talking from a 2nd hand or 3rd hand point of view.. I have Lived pretty my all of of my life there ( till I moved away) and so know much more than your book-informed knowledge.

, but my good sir, India is a big and complex society and unless you travelled every corner and such and stayed in each place for years learning these things, I take your ideas with a grain of salt. Of course being in the trade, I will use Fluer de Sel of course.

Again, you talk as though you have visited all the states ( do you know how many states were there and are nowin India? Have you visited any of them and LIVED there?

M Jaffery also has some good basic books.

From a North Indian Maharashtrian perspective, not Bengali, Not Orissa, not Malayalam etc
So read the books!!

. After all curry is not a dish but a method.

Now tell me what curry really means? to an Indian? a North Indian? to a South Indian? and do you know the origin of this word in the first place?

My trade is working in the food business and I take what I do quite seriously and dont believe in the bastardization of cultural foods. Curry from a packet...pre-made masala and garam powders... come on. Its crap.

Now pray tell me how to make madras curry powder from scratch? have you dont it? how about kari masala from the Chettinad province? How about a Curry masala from the bangla province? The curry has been bastardized to the extent that it doesn't matter anymore. In Finland, curry is a mix of turmeric and some weired paste!! do you know the difference between a garam masala, masala and a curry masala and a Kari masala?

Let us know how you feel about tex-mex burrito

The same was I feel about Indian food!!
Unless you were born there and lived there, dont start talking as though you are an expert!!

[jessesuomi]

It doesnt matter my friend. You are right. You win.
I will never aspire to be an expert in anything. Life is much too complex and there is much too much to learn to ever be an expert considering the flexing of lifes lessons and what comes about.
Keep on keeping on. Remember the path of righteousness will protect one as long as one upholds and follows it. Some Swami guy once said that to our group after a cleansing session.
Peace brother...
Im getting hungry and need to bust out the mortor and pestol to get on to my food.

[Rob A.]

My secret recipe page for South Indian cooking :

and
I found some new links here...

Thanks a lot, raamv...

I finally got a chance to look at the videos... Lots of detail...