Your Guide to Vegetarian Indian Cuisine
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Enjoy FLAVORFUL food
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Eat MORE VEGETABLES
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BALANCE and diversify your diet
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IMPROVE your health
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Learn to cook with GHEE, TURMERIC, TAMARIND, and more!
A guide that understands your needs:
I did not grow up eating Indian food, and I am not Indian, so I am learning together with you. This uniquely positions Buttered Veg to make Indian cuisine accessible to non-Indians.
While most of the Indian recipes presented on this site are authentic Indian recipes, I often adjust the spice levels down to suit the preferences of those who did not grow up with the cuisine. I also add plenty of vegetables to enrich the nutritional value of dishes, and suggest ways to serve meals that satisfy different dietary needs. This includes, low-carb, dairy-free, and wheat-free options.
I have also created a post on Indian ingredient substitutions as a reference, and unfamiliar ingredients are addressed in every recipe. I want you to feel comfortable here at Buttered Veg.
Indian cuisine changed my life for the better. It could change YOURS too! Here's My Story.
I am fortunate to have married a South Indian man from a traditional family. When we met, I was at a stage in my life where I was eating meat, but not enjoying it. I had tried to go vegetarian earlier in life, but it didn’t last. I was craving sweets, and in many areas I didn't feel satisfied.
Despite my past challenges, when I learned my boyfriend had never tasted a bite of meat in his life, I decided to go vegetarian again.
Before long, I was introduced to an Indian cuisine stunning for its flavors, and sheer variety of vegetarian options. By incorporating Indian food in my daily diet, I found it a breeze to be vegetarian, because there were endless healthy food options to prepare. India's vegetable-based cuisine utilizes a large variety of lentils, tiny beans, peas, whole grains, dairy, and vegetables, and there are so many exciting ways to cook this food.
I thought to myself: there is so much we can learn about vegetarian cooking from traditional cultures. Then I learned that India's happens to be the oldest, and the most well developed vegetarian tradition in the world!
In many ways, Indian cuisine is ultra simple, and yet it's simplicity requires the cook to be mindful of getting the details right. This is part of its charm and value. There is something very satisfying about soaking lentils and rice in preparation for dinner, versus preparing something quick and last-minute.
I hope you will stay awhile, and experience for yourself how rewarding cooking like this can be.
Why Indian cuisine is so satisfying
- Nourishing, complex carbohydrates from diverse whole grains and pulses
- Flavorful vegetables, and addictive (in a good way) spices
- Preventative healing qualities built in to the food via the spices
- Many Indian spices positively affect digestion, which is key to overall health
- A diversity of meal options means you will never get bored with your dinner
There is also something very special about the fact that most authentic Indian recipes are the result of thousands of years of iteration in family homes. This is an authentic cuisine with deep traditions that have stood the test of time. Isn't this something worth learning from? I hope you find it very worth it!
Below is Your Guide to Indian Cuisine. Click on your favorite and Explore!