Tags – Vegan Dishes Indian Takeaway
An Indian takeaway is one of the nation’s favourite cuisines for a reason – it’s delicious!
And, with the rise of veganism, luckily there are plenty of options for you to try.
No matter the takeaway, whether they’re North or South Indian, vegetarian or not, you will always be able to find vegan food.
The main reason being: vegetarianism is super common in India due to religious beliefs.
And what’s great, is the different spice blends and cooking techniques used can turn ordinary vegetables into an amazing meal.
However, just because vegetarianism in India is practised, you might need to do a little bit of research to find out which dishes are completely free from animal products, specifically dairy.
Ingredients to Look For
Even though it’s easy to find vegetarian Indian food, a lot of the time there is heavy use of dairy products, like butter, milk, yoghurt, cream or cheese.
And whilst these may seem obvious to avoid, the biggest thing to look out for is clarified butter: ghee.
First things first, it’s a good idea to familiarise yourself with the menu and learn some names of the common ingredients:
- Aloo = potato
- Gobi = cauliflower
- Chana = chickpeas
- Matar = peas
- Palak = spinach
- Saag = combination of spinach and mustard greens
- Paneer = cheese
- Ghee = butter
- Makhani = butter
So, the next time you go to order and you’re not sure how your dish has been cooked, just ask them! And, if you explain you cannot eat dairy, I’m sure they will be more than happy to cook your food with oil rather than butter.
It’s also worth noting here that naan breads (yes are divine), but are made with yoghurt and brushed with butter.
As such, choose rice instead to accompany your dish, or look at the menu for roti and ask for it to be unbuttered.
Now you know what to look for, let’s take a look at some of the most common vegan dishes available at an Indian takeaway.
Common Vegan Indian Dishes
After reading about the possible hidden dairy products, you may be wondering: well how can you eat vegan from an Indian takeaway?
Well, it’s actually easier than you think.
From appetisers to mains, here’s what you can eat as a vegan:
Appetisers, Sides & Sauces
Samosas
If you’re a big fan of Indian food, you’ve probably eaten a samosa or two.
And, they’re usually vegan!
Simply, they are deep-fried, triangle shaped pastries filled with potatoes, peas and spices and served with a chutney.
But, just be careful as some takeaways may make the potato filling with ghee instead of oil, so just ask to be sure.
Fritters
Indian sides such as:
- Idli: steamed rice and lentil cake
- Vada: savoury rice and lentil doughnut
- Kachori: deep fried pastries
- Puri: puffed flatbread
- Aloo tikki: potato cakes
Are all accidentally vegan.
All of the above are made with either egg-free batter, lentils or rice and then are deep fried or steamed.
Chaat
Chaat’s are fun plates of goodness, made with chopped potatoes and of the fritters above, topped with onions, coriander and chutneys.
Most of the time, takeaways will finish it off with a dash of yoghurt, but you can ask them not to and you’ve got a vegan dish!
Chutneys
Arguably, one of the best parts of an Indian takeaway is the different chutneys that bring fantastic flavours to your meal.
Typically, these chutneys are:
- Tamarind: sweet and sour
- Mint: fresh and tangy
- Coconut: rich and buttery
- Chilli & garlic: spicy
- Mango: sweet
The one thing you cannot have as a vegan is raita, which is yoghurt based.
Mains
Curries
As long as you can confirm if the curry has been made with oil instead of butter, you can order pretty much any of the tomato or garlic and ginger based curries on the menu.
And, with there being such a wide range of curries, with different flavours and spice levels available, I’m more than certain you’ll find one you like.
To name a few, the most popular vegan friendly curries are:
Biriyani
Biryani is a pan-fried rice dish with lots of different spices, such as cardamom, clove, cinnamon and saffron.
Again, you will just need to double check whether it has been cooked with oil or butter, otherwise it’s another yummy vegan dish for you to enjoy.
Dosa
Dosas are thin crepes made with fermented lentils and rice batter, and it’s vegan!
Usually, a dosa is served in a big roll, either plain or with a filling that can be vegetables or cheese, then served with a chutney.
The Takeaway
Hopefully now you can see there are plenty of options when it comes to eating vegan from an Indian takeaway.
Just to be sure, if there’s anything you’re not clear about, always ask; most dishes can be made with alternatives to avoid using any animal products at all.
For more information, please get in touch today.
In the meantime, take a look at our Indian Takeaway menu and our extended website.
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