A Vegan Indian Feast

I went to a small Indian restaurant that has a lunch buffet. They clearly mark each vegan dish with a "V". This meal included Bhindi Masala, Gobi Matar, Basmati Rice with peas and cashews, and roti. This was a great meal.

And I also enjoyed a bowl of Sambar, also with Roti. This was the best part of the meal!

Indian foods can be a very nice way for herbivores to experience bold and interesting flavors. India has a larger vegan and vegetarian population, and they know how to make it right. This type of food tickles all parts of the tongue and offers a good variety of textures. It also can add some spicy heat or sour tang to a mild vegan diet.

Vegans should be very careful about butter, ghee, and yogurt in the Indian foods. India really loves the milk products. If it looks creamy or light in color, it probably has milk in it. If it has a rich buttery flavor, that's butter or ghee. Also, chutney can have yogurt in it to make it rich and creamy. Some restaurant staff may not exactly know the difference between vegan and vegetarian, or they may not know about the cooking processes and ingredients. That's why I like to research the different recipes for dishes before I try them. Some recipes always call for a milk product. I know not to even try those. If most recipes for an Indian dish are typically vegan I will hope the dish is vegan at the restaurant. But I'm always suspicious of it. I nibble and feel for any sign of milk or butter before I really dig in.