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Vegetarian cuisine is cookery of food that meets vegetarian ethical principles and health standards. In terms of lacto-ovo vegetarianism, which is the most common type of vegetarianism in the Western world, this means food which excludes ingredients for which an animal must have died, such as meat, meat broth, cheeses that use animal rennet (some vegetarians will eat all cheeses and others none, because of its milk content), gelatin (from animal skin and connective tissue), and for the strictest, even some sugars that are whitened with bone char (e.g. cane sugar, but not beet sugar). Although not essential, certain special ingredients such as tofu and TVP have often been associated with vegetarian cuisine. Although tofu and TVP play a key role in many 'mock meat' dishes, a person can be vegetarian for life and never touch them. Closely linking vegetarianism to tofu consumption is a largely US based phenomenon. Ignoring the different types of vegetarians (lacto-ovo vegetarianism versus veganism, for example), one can roughly divide vegetarian cuisine into two categories: Many vegans will simply also use analogues for dairy and eggs in traditional Western recipes. These analogues are both commercially available and homemade from recipes. But just as lacto-ovo vegetarians might never touch meat analogues, some vegans may eat, for example, traditional Chinese or Indian dishes that were vegan before the term even came into popular usage.
Foods used in vegetarian cuisine Food suitable for all types of the vegetarian cuisine usually consists of: Cereals incl. bread, pasta, rice, maize/corn, all grains, couscous, corn flakes, seitan, etc. Legumes (main replacement for the animal products) incl. beans, soy and soy products (tofu, soy milk, TVP), chickpeas, peas, lentils, etc. Vegetables incl. Pickled vegetables Fruits incl. dried fruits Nuts & seeds Vegetable oils and fats Mushrooms Spices Other plant foods usually not included into above categories, such as olives, seaweeds, etc. Cuisine that is traditionally vegetarian These are some of the most common dishes that vegetarians eat without substitution of ingredients. Such dishes include, from breakfasts to dinnertime desserts: National cuisines Desserts Cuisine that uses meat analogues These are vegetarian versions of popular dishes that non-vegetarians enjoy and are frequently consumed as fast food, comfort food, transition food for new vegetarians, or a way to show non-vegetarians that they can be vegetarians while still enjoying their favorite foods. Many vegetarians just enjoy these dishes as part of a varied diet. Some popular mock-meat dishes include: Mycoprotein is another common base for mock-meats, and vegetarian flavorings are added to these bases, such as for a seafood taste. Note that choa tofu and tempeh are components in certain cuisines in their own right, and do not necessarily take the place of meat. See also | ||||||||
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