Vegetarianism has been prevalent in India even before Buddha or Mahavira endorsed it. Hindu priests have always favored vegetarianism because they believe that every life is sacred, be it of a human being or an animal. The first step to humanitarianism is regarded as being a vegetarian. But that doesn’t mean that a vegetarian has to compromise with his taste if he chooses to be so. Indian vegetarian recipes are so luscious that one can actually forget the taste of meat, once one gets accustomed to it.
Every vegetarian meal served in Indian home comprises of delectable vegetable dishes along with yogurt and other appetizers. The spices used in preparation of the vegetarian food actually have carminative properties. It’s a well known fact that Indians brag about their delicious non vegetarian dishes, but it’s also true that the Indian vegetarian dishes are as much at par with them. Country’s culinary genius can actually be felt in the scores of vegetarian dishes that can be prepared out of so little vegetables.
All the four parts of the nation present different types of vegetarian cuisines.
North India
In north India the main ingredient of the dishes is wheat as the north Indian states like Haryana and Punjab predominantly grow wheat. In preferably all north Indian vegetarian dishes, wheat takes the lead role followed by the vegetable and the lentils. Rice takes a back seat in the northern side. Mughlai and Tandoori techniques are used in cooking food out here.
South India
Rice is the chief component in any south Indian main course.
Different types of dishes are prepared out of rice itself. Dosa and idli are the two popular dishes prepared from rice. The taste and the quality of food offered out here is unbeatable. South Indian foods aren’t as oily and heavy as the north Indian ones. Rather they are quite healthy and easily digestible. Coconut and yogurt play an important role in mainly all the south Indian dishes.
Western India
Western vegetarian food basically constitutes of Gujarati and Maharashtrian dishes, which are marked with a starter of sweet dish consecutively followed by the pulses and the vegetables. The flavor and taste of these dishes is quite different from the other regions. They aren’t as spicy as the north Indian ones. Usually rice is served at the end of the meal.
Eastern India
Bengali food is the chief representative of the vegetarian eastern side, which comprises of rice and pulse preparations. The food out here is generally sweet and it’s famous all over the nation just for this reason. Multiple cuisines are offered by them which are just scrumptious.
Thus, it is quite evident that no matter in which part of the nation one resides, the vegetarian food offered there is as good as the one offered in the other part. There is so much of variety in the Indian vegetarian food that one can easily switch from being a non vegetarian to a hard core true vegetarian, as one has got nothing lose but only to gain in so many ways.