World Vegan Day: Culinary experts share tips to up your vegan game the desi way

On World Vegan Day, three culinary experts share their favourite traditional Indian fare that salutes veganism

While for the West, veganism is a comparatively new idea, India has always enjoyed a wide array to choose from; be it street food like pani puri or masala dosa to mains like rajma and baingan ka bharta. The popularity and relevance of the Indian vegan dishes can be proved from the fact that in April this year, in the list of the top 50 best-rated traditional vegan dishes in the world by Taste Atlas, five were from India — misal pav, rajma, aloo gobi, gobi manchurian and masala vada. We’ve invited vegan culinary experts to share about their preferred picks among desi vegan fare and how to up your vegan game. A nutritionist also shares a list of indigenous vegan ingredients that can be added in the diet; plus, we list the best places in the city to try vegan dishes.

Seasonal high

Dhvani Doshi, founder and chef, The Pasta Project, @tinygoesaroundtheworld
My favourite dishes include valor methi mattar muthiya nu shaak, which is a childhood favourite, as this dish is a celebration of winter. Valor beans are a specific variety of string beans available only in the short winter season. Along with the season’s freshly-shelled peas, fragrant fenugreek dumplings [steamed] pairs beautifully with jowar or whole-wheat rotis. Mag ni chutti dal, is another popular one in my family. It’s a combination of split moong dal and spices, which pairs brilliantly with aam ras, fajeto [sour mango curry] and the season’s greens [parval/tindora, etc]. Tindora [ivy gourd] nu shaak, sambhariyo and athanu
without any dairy products in sight! Indian condiments are a delight. I love aathela mari [pickled fresh peppers], amba haldi, raita marcha, and pickled adrak. With winter coming soon, I’m waiting for the season’s juicy ginger, fresh green pepper, turmeric and mango ginger and the Wadhwani chillies! Lacto-fermented in some lemon juice and mustard, all these are delightful vegan condiments that make my winter meals look like a feast. The panchkutiyu [pickle] is a marriage of my upbringing in Calcutta, and my Zalawadi roots. A combination that celebrates summer specials like amlas, karondas, raw mangos, ginger julienne, lemon, slit green chillies and the panch phoran masala, this vegan pickle has the shelf life of a year. Unlike other pickles, this is vegetable/ingredient-forward as opposed to masala-forward! And lastly, khichu, which is a ubiquitous Gujarati dish that is traditionally made of rice flour, is simple, vegan and delicious. 

Hail the classics 

Mohit Bulchandani, founder and chef, Seeds of Life, @seedsoflife_mumbai
Though veganism has gained popularity recently, it’s important to recognise that Indian food has always provided a wealth of delicious vegan options that are ingrained in our culture. Classics such as masala dosa, poha, chaat, chole and Bombay masala sandwich have been cherished for generations. They capture the essence of Indian cuisine, the richness of regional variations, and the gratifying simplicity of our cooking traditions. These dishes are great for nourishing the body and the soul, in addition to their exquisite flavours. They represent the idea that adopting a vegan lifestyle, can be a joyful way to explore Indian culinary traditions and embrace more ecological and ethical eating options. 

North Indian tadka

Raveena Taurani, founder and head chef, Yogisattva Cafe, @iamayogisattva
I absolutely love traditional Indian dishes like dal makhani, quinoa tikki with sweet potato, lotus stem chips, jackfruit biryani and kesar kulfi. These dishes are my favourites because the ingredients include a lot of Indian spices, especially in the jackfruit biryani. Every biryani starts with a tadka of spices that’s the base and then as you layer the biryani, you have different spices coming through. I love the vegan dal makhana; in place of butter I use cashew paste that tastes equally rich and yummy. I don’t feel like I am missing out on a traditional dal makhani so I enjoy eating that as well. Since I am originally from north India, I love it on a cold, rare winter day in Mumbai. But making a warm bowl of it is satiating, and brings back so many childhood memories.

Vegan dal makhani. Pic Courtesy/Anshita Saxena

Get your vegan fix!

. Berry delicious
This place serves a variety of plant-based delicacies like berry smoothie bowl that has the goodness of strawberry, raspberry, cranberry, in-house granola, chia seeds; its hummus platter with walnut pesto and beet hummus and gluten-free pita is a must-try, as is the Jain hummus bowl with the goodness of the vegetables among other delicacies.  
At Earth Cafe, Janki Kutir, Juhu Tara, Juhu, Vile Parle West. 
Log on to @earthcafeindia
Call 9044904451

Pic courtesy/Instagram

. Plant the thought
Sample their vegan alternatives — seekh kebab, shami kebab, mutton frankie roll, vegan chicken handi, testarossa pizza, vegan and Jain sizzler, Bianca pizza, shawarma and more. 
At Rare Earth - The Vegan Store and Cafe, Sethi Niwas, 4th Road, opposite Bharat Co-Operative Bank, Khar West. 
Log on to @rareearththeveganstore 
Call 9820030868

. The yogi way
Tuck into their gluten-free atta ka halwa, quinoa khichdi with edamame, peanut butter brownie, smoothie bowl and walnut cookie.    
At Yogisattva Cafe, 7th floor, Pinnacle House, 15th Road, next to Pawan Heightz, Khar West.   
Log on to @iamayogisattva
Call 9867455009

. Truly Indian
Here’s the perfect vegan spread for the Indian thali-lovers that includes salad, rice, dal; jawari, baajra, makai or rajgira bhakri; kheer, firni and millet pudding along with chutney, pickles and thecha.   
At Aharveda, next to Hotel Golden Chariot, SV Road, opposite Shoppers Stop, Andheri West. 
Log on to @aharvedafood
Call 9167352772

. French it up
Try their delicious vegan meatloaf steak made of chickpeas and soya; and comes with rich carrot, pumpkin and flax seed puree. It is served alongside velvety carrot puree, grilled vegetables, roasted sweet potato chips, and a fragrant herb.   
At Cafe Noir, World Crest, unit no1A and 1B, Lower Parel. 
Log on to @cafenoirindia
Call 7400491471

Stock up

. Soya paneer/tempeh/tofu: Wash and soak soybeans for 12 to 18 hours, cook for 10 minutes, dehull the beans, grind with water, filter it with muslin cloth. It can be diluted with water and used as soya milk, which can be boiled to remove froth. Add vinegar to it and curdle it to make soya paneer/tempeh/tofu

. Nut milk: Use almonds, cashews, walnuts, peanuts in similar steps

. Coconut butter: Grind coconut to make a paste for a butter substitute.

. Mock meat/lentil/veggie patty:  Use washed and overnight soaked lentils/green peas with flavours of choice and cook well. Mash it, use more of seasoning; pan-toss with minimal oil.

. Cereals: Ragi, jowar, bajra, kodo are options

By Tiana Rodrigues, nutritionist and diabetes educator 

Log on to mid-day.com for detailed nutritional chart

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