Indian Food and Vegetarianism (link to article)

[Guest guest]

http://www.delawareonline.com/newsjournal/life/2004/09/

22indiasrichlyvar.html

 

India's richly varied food accommodates U.S. adaptations

 

By PATRICIA TALORICO

The News Journal

09/22/2004

 

If she ever had to become a vegetarian, the late Julia Child once said, she

would embrace the foods of India, known to offer the world's oldest, most

diverse and sophisticated vegetarian cuisine.

 

The vegetarian tradition in India - home to more than 200 million strict

vegetarians - is widespread due to religious, economic and health reasons.

And outside the country, the cuisine is growing in popularity among those

who seek out its fresh, lively and bold flavors. . .

 

READ ON ;=) . . . because in addition to more information etc., article

contains

a recipe for Aloo Chole

 

http://www.delawareonline.com/newsjournal/life/2004/09/

22indiasrichlyvar.html

[Guest guest]

Hindu Brahmins and Jains who don't consume onions and garlic. Why not?

Indiafest looks interesting! The link doesn't work properly - you need to cut &

paste it. Beth

 

greenfury2004 <greenfury2004 wrote:

 

http://www.delawareonline.com/newsjournal/life/2004/09/

22indiasrichlyvar.html

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Guest guest]

Beth asked:

 

> Hindu Brahmins and Jains who don't consume onions and garlic. Why not?

 

Well there seem to be several versions, one is that they " inflame the baser

passions " another that any root crops are tabu because you might damage the

life of any worms etc. whilst rummaging around to extract them (which is

against the Jain philosophy); also Brahmins find them unnecessary as their

main function is to enhance the flavour of meat.

 

Piers

[Guest guest]

Interesting. Thanks, Piers. I find that garlic & onions & ginger perk up my

beans & lentils, too. Have a great day! Beth

 

 

Well there seem to be several versions, one is that they " inflame the baser

passions " another that any root crops are tabu because you might damage the

life of any worms etc. whilst rummaging around to extract them (which is

against the Jain philosophy); also Brahmins find them unnecessary as their

main function is to enhance the flavour of meat.

 

Piers

 

 

 

 

[Guest guest]

Beth wrote:

 

> I find that garlic & onions & ginger perk up my beans & lentils, too.

 

Yes I found that the weakest of the arguments - and it didn't deter me from

having my nasi goreng made with onions and garlic. I did go easy on the egg

though, I'd just been watching a docu about how the male chickens are

gassed, shredded alive, shoved into trash bags and left to die etc.etc. so

we can have the benefit of the eggs :-(

 

Piers

[Guest guest]

> Yes I found that the weakest of the arguments - and it didn't deter me from

> having my nasi goreng made with onions and garlic.

 

Me too! LOL Well, nasi goreng is *made* with those things ;=) If we have no

religious or cultural reason not to eat onions, garlic, ginger, I see no reason

to

deprive ourselves - unless of course for reasons of personal taste or health

(some people's digestions rebel). On the other hand, cultural tabus are very

strong.

 

>I did go easy on the egg

> though, I'd just been watching a docu about how the male chickens are

> gassed, shredded alive, shoved into trash bags and left to die etc.etc. so

> we can have the benefit of the eggs :-(

 

Yes :=( That's kinda enough to put us all off eggs if we think about it. I find

I

live just fine without eggs. Besides, think of all the cholesterol in those

horrid

little yolks LOL

 

Back to onions, garlic and ginger!!! Oh yes, they're for me.

 

Best,

 

Pat ;=)

[Guest guest]

>Pat wrote:

>Yes :=( That's kinda enough to put us all off eggs if we think about it. I

>find I

>live just fine without eggs. Besides, think of all the cholesterol in

>those horrid

>little yolks LOL

 

Well...I'll have to gently disagree...I get eggs (well, during the veggie

season) from the farmer's market here from a small local farmer...so I feel

ok getting my eggs...I don't really buy them during the winter...I don't

cook them enough to get them from the store....I cook them a lot during the

spring, summer, and fall for some wierd reason...*shrug*

 

 

>Back to onions, garlic and ginger!!! Oh yes, they're for me.

 

Oh my Goddess! I don't think I could *live* without those...especially

garlic...but I blame the garlic thing on my italian genes...

 

Gina

[Guest guest]

> Well...I'll have to gently disagree...

 

Okay, if you're ovo-veggie that's fine ;=) I was just commenting on Piers'

message about the death by the multitude of male chicks plus the cholesterol

thingie for health ;=)

 

>I get eggs (well, during the veggie

> season) from the farmer's market here from a small local farmer...

 

Not sure if you're disagreeing about being put off em by the male chick

chickocide or being put off them because of health. Either way, the nice

person at the farmers' market can't guarantee the lack of the first or the

problem of the second. But this shouldn't be an issue for this list. No dead

thing appears on your plate, right? Right. There are all kinds of vegetarians

on this list ;=) All are understood and welcome.

 

As far as ethics and health is concerned, the farmers' market should make you

feel better if he does organic farming and free range - the chances are that he

feels something for his chickens and avoids all the nasties that make eggs

unhealthy (except of course for cholesterol).

 

And I agree - 'gently' is the way to go. Thanks for writing in.

 

Best love,

 

Pat ;=)

[Guest guest]

EEEEEWWWW.

 

docu about how the male chickens are

gassed, shredded alive, shoved into trash bags and left to die etc.etc. so

we can have the benefit of the eggs :-(

 

Piers