Asian cuisine is renowned for its rich variety of vegetarian dishes, a feature that goes back to ancient culinary traditions and practices. Historically, in many parts of Asia, an abundance of meat was a luxury, and consequently much of the daily diet was based on plant products.
A wide range of ingredients
Asian cuisines take advantage of a wide range of plant-based ingredients such as tofu, tempeh, various types of mushrooms, leafy vegetables, roots, and grains like rice and noodles. These ingredients are used to create tasty, nutritious dishes.
Cooking methods
Asian cooking methods such as steaming, stir-frying and broiling are ideal for preparing vegetarian dishes. They retain the natural flavor of the ingredients, while adding spices and herbs to enhance the taste.
Small fermented rice cakes, steamed until sponge-light and perfect with coconut chutney or a piping-hot bowl of sambar. Soft, white, and springy, idlis emerge from the steamer with a warm, grainy aroma. They bounce back under your finger, then soak up sauce without falling apart. In the broad family of […]
Soft, fluffy buns filled with cream cheese, dipped in garlic butter sauce, then baked again until golden and glossy. Korean garlic bread is a world away from a garlic-rubbed baguette. Here, the bread is tender and almost brioche-like, with a tangy white filling tucked into every cut. The butter, garlic, […]
Tender chickpeas, a dark, deeply spiced masala, and bright fruity acidity: chana masala has everything you want in a vegetarian dish with real character. The chickpeas come out almost black, glossy with ghee or mustard oil. The sauce isn’t runny; it clings to every chickpea with notes of toasted cumin, […]
Delicious paratha, just like in India The ghee sizzles on the cast-iron tawa. The dough puffs up, freckles with small light-brown spots called chitthi, then lets a little steam escape from its crisp edges. The aroma of toasted wheat fills the room. In the potato-stuffed version, amchoor brings a clean […]
Fried tofu pouches filled with vinegared rice: a sweet-savory street sushi with roots in Inari shrines. The tofu pouches gleam with a glaze of soy sauce and mirin, then open to reveal warm, vinegar-scented shari. Authentic inarizushi is an understated dish with real depth and a lingering finish: sweet, salty, […]
An ultra-soft Japanese fruit sando filled with fresh fruit and stabilized whipped cream for a clean, irresistible slice. Pillowy shokupan gives way to well-chilled cream and carefully cut fruit; with each bite, everything yields with the tenderness of cake rather than the chew of bread. Cut it on the diagonal […]
Shaved into delicate ribbons and drizzled with matcha, kuromitsu, or seasonal fruit syrup, kakigori is one of Japan’s most refreshing desserts. A snowy mound, almost trembling, catches the syrup like a fine rain: the ribbons of ice drink in its color before it even reaches the bottom of the bowl. […]
An ultra-fresh, creamy cucumber raita, fragrant with spices and perfect with naan, rotis, or rice. Spoonful by spoonful, chilled dahi brings a creamy, bright, tangy texture. Mint adds freshness, cilantro brightens everything, and toasted cumin brings a warm, nutty depth. A traditional cucumber raita needs neither sugar nor an overly […]
A deeply garlicky palak paneer finished with sizzling tadka and softened with a touch of cream: a comforting, flavorful Indian dish. An emerald swirl of rustic spinach, studded with pale cubes of paneer and topped with a crackling fried garlic tadka: lasooni palak paneer announces its signature flavor right away. […]
Soft naans stuffed with mozzarella and a touch of chili, cooked in a pan, then held over a flame until beautifully blistered and golden Golden and puffed, cheese naan can mean different things depending on the kitchen: either a savory, melty center or a warm filling of well-spiced paneer. The […]
