When people talk about being vegetarian, many usually think that they do not have many recipes to choose from. People would think that being a vegetarian would only require them to eat bland tasting, raw or uncooked vegetables.

However, that is not the case for Indian vegetarian cooking. Vegetarians will fall in love with Indian food without the need to endure the same old, boring, and dull taste of typical vegetarian cooking meal after meal. Vegetarian Indian cuisine has a wide range of choices when it comes to nutritious, flavourful and tasty dishes. Your meal can still be mouth-watering even if there is no chicken, pork, or any kind of meat used in the recipes.

Generally, Hindus are vegetarian by nature. This is because Hinduism believe that by saving the lives of the animals, they will get to gain good karmic merits. Because of this, they have ingeniously incorporated methods and spices in their cooking such that every meal can still be healthy and yet tasty at the same time.

In vegetarian Indian cuisine, bread are often served. One of the most served foods is the Capati. Capati is a flat and baked wheat bread that is served with dahl or other curries of your choice. Other popular Indian breads are puri, naan, parantha, and thosai.

Most of the Indian recipes for the vegetarians not only have vegetables but fruits, lentils, legumes, beans, and sprouts as well. Indian vegetarians also incorporate dairy products in their cooking such as yogurt or cheese. Cottage cheese or Paneer as it’s known in India is often used as a perfect alternative for vegetarians. Paneer can be readily bought or homemade in big blocks. They are then cut into cubes or slices. It is a very versatile ingredient that easily absorbs and adapts to the flavors of other ingredients used in the dish. Some popular dishes that utilize paneer are Palak Paneer, a healthy North Indian dish made of spinach and cottage cheese that’s mildly flavoured; Mutter Paneer – cottage cheese cooked with green peas, tomatoes, onions and spices. This dish is usually served with Parathas and Naans; or Shahi Paneer – cottage cheese cooked in rich tomato gravy. Other hot favourites that use paneer are Kadhai Paneer, Matar Paneer, Paneer Korma, Paneer Kofta, Paneer Makhani, Paneer Pasanda, Paneer Pakora, Paneer Tikka and Paneer Parantha.

Potatoes or Aloo are used extensively in Indian vegetarian cuisine. Some famous dishes that incorporate potatoes are Dum Aloo – potatoes cooked in mildly spiced gravy, Aloo Gobi which is potato cooked with cauliflower in spicy sauce, Aloo Paratha – flatbread stuffed with potatoes and eaten with chutney or pickles. Other popular Aloo dishes are Baigan Aloo (brinjal and potatoes), Aloo Ki Sabji (boiled potatoes in spiced gravy), Aloo Palak (chopped spinach and potatoes cooked in spicy curry) and Aloo Dahi Wale (potatoes in creamy yogurt sauce).

Other famous Indian vegetarian dishes are vegetables Jalfrezi – a vegetarian medley combining assorted vegetables such as cauliflower, beans, carrots and green pepper sautéed in garlic, ginger, spices and dry fruits; Baigan Bharta which is made from mashed aubergine cooked with peas, tomatoes and spices; Dal Makhani – slow-cooked lentil gravy with garlic, onions, ginger, tomatoes and spices; Chole masala – spicy chickpeas curry served with bread; Dahi Baingan – Brinjal in spiced yogurt and Malai Kofta – vegetables-balls in a thick sauce which is usually served during special occasions alternative to meatballs.

If you want a meal that is heavier for your stomach, then you could include rice in your meal. The Griddle Fried Rice or Tava Pulao is the choice of many vegetarians in India who have a big appetite. It is considered as the most famous street food in the country and also served in fine-dining restaurants as well. There’s also vegetable Biryani which is rice cooked with a medley of vegetables and spices.
Indian Food Recipes is an online Indian cooking website offering a collection of free Indian recipes and cooking tips.