What should I order when I go for an Indian? (I'm vegan)?!


Question: What should I order when I go for an Indian!? (I'm vegan)!?
Hey, in a few nights time I'm going out for an Indian with some people who I don't know very well, and it may sound crazy to most people but I've never had an Indian before so have no idea what I'm doing!. I'd like to look vaguely like I do!. So here's the details:

I'm vegan, I have a small appetite, I like things either with no spice at all or extremely spicey - I'm not an inbetweeny sorta person!.

What should I order that most normal Indian restaurants will have on their menu!?

Cheers in advance :)Www@FoodAQ@Com


Answers:
Indian restaurants are great about serving vegetarian foods!. I know some of them may have ghee (clarified butter) so if you don't eat it you may have to ask!.

I don't care for spicy foods so I order Vegetable Korma!. But the have anything from very mild (Korma) to very hot (vindaloo, madras)!. Will just need to ask if any of the sauces have ghee in them!.Www@FoodAQ@Com

Most Indian restaurants have mainly vegetarian food because most Indians are vegetarian!. Not a lot of food has cheese or dairy products so there is a lot you can order!. I'm vegetarian so I usually get naan (it's just like pita bread for you americans) with some sort of shak (has like beans, potatoes, etc), rice, rus (mango drink stuff that is bomb if you dip naan into it)!. If you don't like naan, you can get puris or rotlies!. Try some bajya or samosas!. The most important thing to do is tell the waiter that you are vegan so they don't mess up your order, because they can always change it!. There aren't too many desert choices since you are vegan, but they still have some choices!.Www@FoodAQ@Com

Most Indian restaurants explain on their menu what is spicy and what isn't!. They will also probably have a vegetarian section on the menu which you can order from!. You cannot order the dishes that have spinach in them however, because these are the dishes that contain dairy!.

Just ask your waiter if you are not sure!. Indian restaurants are notorious for quality customer service!.Www@FoodAQ@Com

there are many kinds of curries, it depends if you are eating south or north indian food!. some places put cream in the curries to appeal to american tastes, but you can ask for no cream!. If you go to a punjabi restaurant Aloo gobhi is vegan, mussoor dal!.!.!. a lot other dishes have ghee or sometimes cream so ask for without!. and most places will let you choose unspicy so they put fewer chillies in for youWww@FoodAQ@Com

Ask the waiter!. Indian restaurants have lots of vegetarian food but they are not too good on vegan - they often use dairy products in cooking, such as ghee (butter) or yoghurt!. And they often have fish too, which they often don't regard as meat!. Just ask and spell it out as to what you want to eat!.Www@FoodAQ@Com

Indian food caters very well for vegan and vegetarian, so don't be worried about the menu!. They usually put the heat level on the dish so whether it's mild, medium or hot!. Or ask the waiter for a recommendation as all indian places are different with the amount of spice and heat they put in!.Www@FoodAQ@Com

it depends whereabouts you are going really!. punjabi food is mostly not too spicy but bangladeshi and pakastani food is a bit spicy (no offence to anyone)!.

we normally have -

starter- chicken tikka
main meal- lamb curry, chicken curry, aloo gobee and tandoori rotis
dessert- kulfi (pista is best) or rassmalai or gajra da halwa or gulaab jaman or any indian sweets like baisan or barfi
drink- indian tea or lasee

BUT seeing as you are a vegetarian you can try like:

aloo gobee, aloo and gajar, saag, rice, and stuff like that (sorry i can't remember)

hope i helped!Www@FoodAQ@Com

if the restaurant doesn't have a specific vegetarian options consider ordering some of the many side dishes such as

aloo methi, aloo gobhi, aloo gosht (aloo=potato)
sag is spinich
try something like tarka dahl to contrast with strong flavoured dishes

if you are feeling brave ask the waiter to reccommend a mix of side dishes that are complimentary and contrasting!.

any restaurant worth its name should have vegetarian dishes

best yet, find out which restaurant you are going to, get hold of a menu before you go and look long and hard at the optionsWww@FoodAQ@Com

Rice!.

Most Indian restaurants use Ghee(butter) when cooking most dishes-even the vegetarian ones!.

If you ask nicely,they may conjure something up!.

One of my employees is a vegan,his preferences are normally catered for at our local tandoori!.Www@FoodAQ@Com

A vegetable biryani should do it!. If no ask fordal makhani with riceor naans!. Palak panner (spinach with cheese)!.!.!.dals (lentils)!.!.!.andlots ofveg dishes like baigan ka bhartha (aubergines) allo palak(potaoes with spinach)!.!.!.saag(spinach)!.!.!.
Let us know how you found the Indian cuisine!.Www@FoodAQ@Com

Try the below link;
http://en!.wikipedia!.org/wiki/Indian_cuis!.!.!.Www@FoodAQ@Com

most dishes will have a yogurt-based sauce unfortunately!. the meat substitute is generally paneer (cheese), so stick with palak (spinach) , aloo (potato) and gobi (cauliflower) dishes!.

Try aloo matar or aloo gobi!.Www@FoodAQ@Com

A lot of Indians are vegetarian, for religious reasons, you will have no problem finding vegan food there, its a vegetarian/vegan paradise!.Www@FoodAQ@Com

Vegetable samosa starter and something like a vegetable curry with pilau rice for a main dish!.Www@FoodAQ@Com

indian food is MAINLY meatless, so no worries!.Www@FoodAQ@Com

CurryWww@FoodAQ@Com

spinach paneer-it don't know if it is vegan fare but it is addictive and super fun to eat as a famWww@FoodAQ@Com

Vegetable Korma!.!.!.!. YUM! and make sure you get several piece of Naan (flat bread) to eat with it!.Www@FoodAQ@Com

How about rice with a curry sauce and naan bread!?

? CupCake ?Www@FoodAQ@Com

Rose Ice creamWww@FoodAQ@Com

Curry and beansWww@FoodAQ@Com

Ewww vegan why!?Www@FoodAQ@Com

Vegetable Pulao(Pulav)

2 cups rice
3 tbsps vegetable oil
1 tsp salt
1/4 tsp garam masala
3 cups water
1 small onion thinly sliced
1/2 tsp peeled and grated ginger
A pack (500 gms) mushrooms or frozen vegetables
Wash the rice in several changes of water and leave to soak in water for 30 minutes!. Drain the rice well!. Chop the mushrooms into 1/8 inch slices!. If using frozen vegetables, rinse in cold water and drain well!. On a medium stove setting, heat the oil in a heavy pan or pot!. When the oil is hot put in the onions and stir fry for about 2 minutes or until the edges begin to turn brown!.

Put in the mushrooms or frozen vegetables and stir for 2 minutes!. Add the rice, ginger, garam masala!. Saute the rice for 2 minutes!. Add the water and salt and cover!. Lower heat to a low setting and cook for 25 minutes!. Turn off the heat and let the pot sit, covered for 5 minutes before serving!.


Note: Instead of mushrooms and frozen vegetables, fresh vegetables such as Carrots, Beans, Tomatoes and other vegetables can be cooked and stirred!.

**************************************!.!.!.
this rice is delicious
but u can get it without the chicken

Biryani

1 Kg boneless meat (chicken/lamb), cut in 1 inch strips
2 cups rice, washed and drained(preferably Basmati Rice)
5 cloves garlic
1 inch piece of ginger
5 dried red chillies
2 medium onions, sliced into rings
2 medium tomatoes, diced
5 mint leaves
pinch of saffron (optional)
3 large potatoes, peeled and diced
1/2 tsp turmeric powder
3 tbsp butter
3 pods cardamoms
3 cloves
2 inch stick of cinnamon
salt to taste
Make a paste of the garlic, ginger and chillies in a food processor!. Saute the onions in the butter until golden brown, about 5-7 minutes!. Remove the onions, and put them aside!.
Put the ginger-garlic-chili paste into the same pan used above and saute for 3-4 minutes!. Add the meat and saute!. Lamb should be sauted for about 7-8 minutes, while the chicken will take about 4-5 minutes!. The meat should be about half cooked at the end of this step!. Add chopped tomatoes, cloves, cinnamon, cardamoms, turmeric, mint leaves and salt and saute for 2 minutes!. Add a little water and cook until the meat is almost cooked!.

Now add the rice and potatoes!. Add the rest of the water and simmer covered, on a very low flame for 15-20 minutes, until the rice is cooked!. Serve hot, garnished with the fried onions!.


--------------------------------------!.!.!.
Chick-Peas Pulao

Serves 6 to 8!.

For the rice

1 1/2 teacups uncooked Basmati rice
2 cardamoms
2 cloves
1 cinnamon
1 bay leaf
1 1/2 teacups milk
1 1/2 teacups water
2 1/2 teaspoons salt

For the gravy

1 teacup chick peas (Kabuli chana)
1 pinch soda-bi-carb
1 teaspoon ginger paste
1 teaspoon garlic paste
1 teaspoon chilli powder
1/2 teaspoon turmeric powder
1 teacup fresh curds
1 teacup chopped tomatoes
2 chopped potatoes
3 chopped green chillies
3 tablespoons ghee
salt to taste

For the baking

2 tablespoons chopped coriander
1 tablespoon chopped mint
1 chopped green chilli
2 tablespoons fried onions
1/4 teacup milk with a dash of saffron

For the rice

Soak the rice for 30 minutes!. Drain!. Mix the water and milk together!. Add the caradamoms, cloves, cinnamon, bay leaf, salt and rice and cook until almost done!.

For the gravy

Soak the chick peas overnight!. Next day, boil with a little water and the soda bi-carb!. Drain!. Heat the ghee, add the ginger and garlic pastes and fry for a while!. Add the chilli powder and the turmeric (in a little water) and fry for 1 minute!. Add the curds, tomatoes, potatoes and green chillies and stir for a while!. Add the chick peas and salt!.

To the cooked rice, add the coriander, mint, green chillies and fried onions!. Put one layer of rice in a big bowl and spread a layer of chick pea gravy on top!. Make alternate layers of rice and gravy in this manner!. Finally, sprinkle the saffron milk on top, cover and bake in a hot oven at 200 degree C (400 degree F) for 20 minutes!. When baked, turn upside down in a serving dish and serve hot!.


--------------------------------------!.!.!.

Spicy Vegetable Pulao


1 cup Rice
1 1/2 cups Water
2 cups Vegetables
1/2" Cinnamon stick
2 Cloves
2 Cardamom
1 1/ 4 teaspoon Salt
1/4 teaspoon Turmeric powder
1 teaspoon Dhania powder
2 Chilies
4 Tomatoes
1/ 2 cup Coconut (grated)
1 bunch Coriander leaves
2 pieces Garlic
1/ 2" piece Ginger (made into a paste)
2 tablespoons Butter
1 Onion cut lengthwise


Wash the rice and drain the water!. Extract one cup of water from tomatoes!.!. Pour the butter into a vessel and heat!. Add cinnamon, cardamom and cloves!.Add onions and chilies and fry until onions turn golden brown!.Add ginger + garlic paste and turmeric powder paste and fry until you get a nice smell!. Now pour in the tomato water + 1 cup wWww@FoodAQ@Com

Matte Paneer, or Palak Paneer, are two vegetarian dishes that come to mind!. Cheese and tofu is all they are!.Www@FoodAQ@Com





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