Vegan Guide to Auroville:

Auroville will not leave you indifferent. Whether you are in the midst of a long India trek or wanting to quit urban life for a six-month hiatus or yet again are seeking meaning and a change of priorities and need some reflection time in a quiet, pastoral and hospitable place, Auroville will not disappoint. You will find more opportunities to experience different spiritual awakening approaches, more yoga, more spa treatments, more volunteering possibilities and more variety of nationalities gathered in one place, than most towns. If you are open to experimenting new ways of imagining your life, you will love it and maybe even stay. One thing is sure, you will keep coming back.

Auroville History:

Auroville was founded by a French woman, Mira Alfassa, also known as The Mother, in honor of Sri Aurobindo, a charismatic and prolific Indian philosopher, guru and poet whom she seconded for several decades. A visit of the Ashram that they established in Pondicherry is recommended, both to experience the atmosphere of peaceful reverence that pervades the unrenovated quaint antiquated rooms of study and meditation as well as to join the many pilgrims at the tomb of Sri Aurobindo. It’s also a good place to pick up some books written by each one of them or on them.

  Since the 70’s, Auroville has been dedicated to finding new ways to “realize humanity” through the building of a non-prejudiced community of spiritual seekers experimenting in the areas of social responsibility, architecture, ecological sustainability, organic agriculture, alternative energy sources to name but a few of their many projects, most of which accept volunteers.

Restaurants in Auroville

It is no surprise, then, to see that you can find many vegan restaurants in Auroville. Although Happy Cow lists only 4 vegan restaurants there, there are many more unreviewed ones.  We counted at least ten venues and much more when you know that almost 100% of the places have vegan options which easily doubles the number. For a community of 2400 members, that’s considerable. It’s true that Auroville hosts thousands of volunteers every year and attracts many more tourists.

Give Auroville a minimum of a week to get into the groove. Make you life much easier by getting a Auroville Card, which will give you access to many facilities otherwise closed to you.

How to get your Auroville Card:

In order to obtain a card, you will need to register in one of the Auroville guest houses as opposed to a village guest house.  The owner of the guest house will procure a recommendation or a card for you that will allow you to deposit funds.  You then will go to register at the Auroville Town Hall in order to allow your card to retrieve goods, treatments, yoga classes, get discounts at the swimming pool, access Solar Kitchen (the vegetarian cafeteria – ask for dishes with no ghee or yoghurt – curd) etc.

There are many vegan options in the members’ stores, especially at Pour Tous. Check the fridges for great tempeh, tofu and vegan deserts.

Make sure to get a guest house with access to a kitchen (most of them have it) and shop for organic vegetables at Food Link (get there early, before 9am to have the best choice).

Rent a moped or a bike to travel between projects and stores. Auroville is spread out over many hundreds of acres in a pristine forest and you may not be able to manage the distances on foot.

Recommendations for a smooth arrival:

• From abroad: reserve your guest house and reserve your means of transport. Sometimes guest house owners can have it ready for you upon your arrival. Remember to request it when you reserve. Make your mode of transport a priority upon arrival.
• On your first day, make sure to get your Auroville card by going to Townhall.  Get a map from your guest house owner
• Go to the Visitors’ Center (to the second floor) to reserve a visit to the Matrimandir (the big golden ball at the eye of the Auroville helix).  Do not miss it, even if you are not into spirituality, it will astonish and interest you. You need to reserve a couple of days in advance

Other recommendations for vegans:

• Auroville Bakery – Here you will find everything from hearty bread and crackers to vegan brownies, muffins etc.
• La Terrace for sunset and a nice vegan meal. Do not forget your card. Just off la Terrace you can visit the guests’ center.
• Satchiananda – excellent raw vegan restaurant. Ask the owner for cooking classes. She loves to teach her art!
• Guests’ Center is the place to get information about the different projects, where you can volunteer, or to just visit. You can also find info online about things to do in Auroville as well as workshops and therapies available.
• While you are at the Visitors’ Center, have a vegan pizza at the main café. Drink dynamized water from the fountain. Do not fear it is filtered!

Volunteer in a vegan project:

There are four projects or organizations dedicated to a vegan agenda in Auroville, all of which accept volunteers:

• Sharan (Sanctuary for Health and Reconnection to Animals and Nature) is dedicated to “to spreading awareness about holistic health and an ecologically sustainable compassionate lifestyle”. It is headed by Dr Nandita Shah who has dedicated the last 20 years to eradicating chronic lifestyle diseases like diabetes from the map through whole plant-based nutrition. To volunteer or become an intern there, you need to be vegan and to commit for a minimum of one month.

• Sadhana Forest  is a forest revival project headed by Aviram Rozin and his wife Yorit. Their goal for the last 15 years has been recreating a forest on eroded land around Auroville. They promote veganism as the only sustainable diet. You can volunteer there with a vibrant and creative group of young ecology-minded people from all over the world. If volunteering is not on your mind, do not miss the Free Friday meal and visit. A bus picks people up at 4pm in front of solar kitchen and takes to Sadhana for an evening of visit, food a documentary. The atmosphere in the huge bamboo hut is well worth the effort.

• The Integrated Animal Care Center is a dog shelter that you can visit.  They will always welcome people to care and pet the dogs.

 

• Solitude Farm: an organic farm with a vegan café. Great place for lunch. Learn organic farming and permaculture by volunteering there.

Intro

We’ve all been there, the diner menu block, the apathy of the “more of the same”, the need for something exotic to eat, to be surprised, to feel the sun in our food, if not on our skin.

You’ve mastered the Indian curry, you impressed your guests with your vegan Thai soup or your Pho. The time has come to head to the spice market at your nearest Middle-Eastern or Indian grocer and load your kitchen and your home with the aroma of North-African aromas. When was the last time you ate a vegan tajine, right?

Here are 4 spice mixtures that come to us from the beginning of time. Though curry started in the Indian subcontinent more than 3000 years ago, by the second millennium, the trading of spices had reached the Middle East and North Africa.  Cumin, cinnamon and nutmeg quickly became central to the cuisine of the region, until today.

The spice mixtures below all tend to be variations on the basic four spices’ theme that gave birth to curry in India: cumin, coriander, red chillies and turmeric but with warmer notes introduced by cinnamon, cloves and nutmeg.

The spices are usually roasted whole and then ground together. We recommend that you do your roasting and grounding yourself. A swish in a cast iron pan (do not let it smoke) and then a spin in your coffee grinder or your blender will do the trick.  Do not prepare them in advance but rather on the spot for freshness and pungency.

Though dishes in North Africa bare the same names in all countries (couscous, tajine, harira soup etc.), the spices vary from region to region. Each country prides itself on its unique blend and people can travel far to get to the spice stalls with the best mixes.

Most Common african spices

• “Bahārāt”, which is used all over North Africa includes cumin seeds, cloves, coriander seeds, cardamom, paprika and black pepper.   It is used in many sauces or just as a loose seasoning to be eaten with

• “Raz El Hanout” is a mixture that may have originated in Morocco, which comprises a dozen spices among which the 4 basic Indian curry spices (cumin, turmeric, red chillies, coriander) plus cardamom, cloves, cinnamon, nutmeg, mace, dry ginger, coriander seeds, paprika and fenugreek. It is used in couscous, tajines and stews and though not spicy it gives a rich pungent flavor to the dishes.

• “Tabil” is to Algeria and Tunisia what garam masala is to India. It is combination of caraway, chili, coriander, red chillies and cumin. Some people add rose petals or fennel seeds to the mix. It’s perfect on roasted vegetables before putting them on the grill or in salads.

• “Qalat daqqa” is a five-spice mixture from Tunisia. It includes cloves, nutmeg, cinnamon, peppercorns, and grains of paradise (also called melegueta peppers, they are from the ginger family but taste more like cardamom). It is used to season vegetables, tajines, stews and couscous.

You will see that your recipes will become strikingly different in spite of similar vegetables and grains. Try for example to make your favorite couscous recipe with either Raz El Hanout or some Qalat Daqqa and you will travel the Mediterranean by just changing the spice-mix, Bon Appetit.

 

 

Intro To Origin of Curry:

Curry originated in the Indian subcontinent and the word comes from the Indian Tamil word “Kari”meaning a sauce or soup to be eaten with rice. It consists of a mix of spices of which coriander, turmeric, cumin, and red chilies are almost always a constant. Curry powder as we know it in the West is a British invention that dates back to the 18^th century. In the rest of the world, curries are made from scratch by using these spices whole or grinned along with others for mixtures that vary according to regional traditions.

Curries can be divided into “dry” and wet curries, according to the amount of sauce created.  Dry curries resemble more spicy stir-fries. In India for example, the spices are usually tempered, meaning roasted or fried in oil before being inserted in the food, whereas in Thailand, they are usually blended together raw before being used.

Already in 2600 BCE suggestions to use a mortar and pestle to pound spices appeared in some documents retrieved from digs in Pakistan. References to cumin

more than 2000 years old. These and other spices such as black pepper, cinnamon, and cardamom were already being traded from Kerala in India as far back as 3000 BCE and arrived in the Middle East before the beginning of the first millennium.

Here are a few countries that have eaten curry frequently or even have raised it as a national dish:

Indian curry (Kari)

Indian curries almost always begin with a garlic-ginger paste made of pounding the 2 fresh ingredients and frying them in oil before adding other vegetables and fried or roasted spices. It also makes abundant use of “curry” leaves, from the fragrant Murraya Koenigii tree that grows in India, which gives Indian curries their distinctive flavor. Fresh coriander is usually added fresh at the conclusion of the dish.

North Indian specific spices:

• Garam masala is more amply used in north Indian curries. Garam masala adds cardamom seeds, peppercorns, fennel seeds, mustard seeds and cloves to the basic four spices mentioned above, giving the curries a warmer more pungent taste.
• Amchoor is dried green mango powder, used to add a citrus tang to curries.
• Fenugreek a fragrant sweet nutty seed, is an almost permanent in north Indian curries. It gives a slightly bitter taste.

South Indian specific spices:

• Tamarind, a sour pod is used in South India to give a tang to the curries
• Coconut milk or cream often enrich the base of the curry soup oris used grated in the dry curries.

Bangladesh curry (Kari)

Bangladesh uses mostly the same spices as Bengali India and makes ample use of sumac, a Middle Eastern red seed used in dry curries or on grilled vegetables and salads.  It adds a tart lemony flavor.

A popular spice blend in Bangladesh is Panch Phoran (also used in Nepal) which includes fenugreek, cumin, black mustard seeds, fennel seeds and nigella seeds, (also known as black cumin or onion seeds)all used non-grinded and in equal parts.

Many curries in Bangladesh are tomato-based or use coconut.

Thailand curry (Kaeng)

Thai curries are usually served with abundant broth, more like a rich soup and include coconut milk as a base and almost always include kafir lime leaves and lemongrass. The spices are ground raw or roasted with herbs and garlic as a paste, the mixture being sometimes fried before added to the soup. Some curries add ground peanuts in Thailand.

• Green curry, or “kaeng khiao wan”, gets it color from green chillies, lime leaves, lemongrass roots, fresh coriander and basil in the paste. It is considered the spiciest curry.
• Red curry, or “kaeng phet” uses at least two types of red chilies on top of the traditional four basic spices encountered in curries all over the world and the lemon grass.
• Yellow curry “Kaeng kari” is no doubt the one that resembles the most the Indian traditional four-spices curry with the addition of the lemongrass, kafir lime leaves and the coconut milk.

Indonesian curry (Gulai)

Indonesian curries, called “gulai”, use spices like nutmeg, cloves and cinnamon or even star anise in their dishes for a warmer, more rounded taste. The curries tend to be creamy through the addition of either coconut cream or grounded cashews or yet still macadamia nuts. Some also add soya sauce to their curries.

Cambodian curry (Kari)

Cambodia has raised on of its curry dishes called Amok to the level of a national dish. It is a dish of curry steamed in a banana leaf. The curry is red and similar to a Thai red curry in ingredients. As in Thailand, Khmer cuisine makes abundant use of lemongrass and kaffir lime leaves.

Quite a few religions have dietary restrictions that make their restaurants or religious institutions perfect destinations for vegans. Unfortunately, it can be quite confusing to know which brand of the particular religion provides a vegan diet and which one does only partially, since it may vary from country to country and at different times of year.

The following info is an attempt to systematize the information per religion and per country:

Buddhism:

Mahayana Buddhism:

Countries: China, Korea, Vietnam, Taiwan

Restrictions: all animal products.

Exceptions Allowed: none, 100% vegan.

Extra Restrictions: garlic, onion, asafoetida, shallots, leeks, coriander.

Time Of Year: all year, or 1st or 15^th of the lunar month.

Tips: Look for “Pure Vegetarian” food in and around Buddhist temples.

Theravada Buddhism:

Countries: Laos, Cambodia, Thailand, Sri-Lanka, Myanmar.

Restrictions: no real restrictions on animal products but vegetarianism encouraged.

Time Of Year: all year.

Tips: food served in and around Buddhist temples is often vegetarian.

Zen Buddhism:

Countries: Japan.

Restrictions: all animal products.

Exceptions Allowed: none, 100% vegan.

Extra Restrictions: garlic, onion, asafoetida, shallots, leeks, coriander.

Time Of Year: all year, or 1st or 15^th of the lunar month.

Tips: Japanese Zen monasteries are vegan and sometimes serve food

Vajrayana Buddhism:

Countries: Tibet.

Restrictions: no real restrictions on animal products but vegetarianism encouraged.

Time Of Year: all year.

Tips: Tibetan monasteries are seldom vegetarian.

Christianity:

Religion: orthodox church.

Countries: Greece, Bulgaria, Romania, Russia, Ukraine.

Restrictions: all animal products.

Exceptions Allowed: In Russia and Ukraine fish is allowed.

Time of Year: lent 40 days (7 weeks before Easter).

Tips: Many mainstream restaurants serve “Fasting Foods” during lent.

Hinduism:

Countries: India, Nepal, Bangladesh, Pakistan, Indonesia, Sri-Lanka.

Restrictions: all animal products.

Exceptions Allowed: dairy.

Extra Restrictions: for Brahmins (priestly cast), restrictions on who prepared the food and how it is stored.
“Pure Vegetarians” in India means dishes need to not have touched meat. Sometimes it means vegans who eat honey.

Time of Year: all year.

Tips: 30% of Hindu population is vegetarian.

Ghee (clarified butter) is the main issue since it cannot be detected.

Dishes can usually be easily veganized upon asking.

Jainism:

Countries: India.

Restrictions: all animal products.

Exceptions Allowed: dairy (except for yogurt).

Extra Restrictions: garlic, onions, root vegetables, vegetables non-native to the country, alcohol, caffeine drinks, multi seeded fruits, fermented foods.

Time of Year: all year.

Tips: Easily veganized.

Rastafarians:

Countries: Jamaica, Kenya, Tanzania, South Africa, Ivory Coast,

Restrictions: all animal products.

Exceptions Allowed: fish.

Extra Restrictions: salt, alcohol, caffeinated drinks.

Time of Year: all year.

Tips: essentially vegan. ask for no fish.

Judaism:

Religion: Kosher.

Countries: Israel.

Restrictions: some animals may not be eaten at all, including pigs, shellfish, rabbits, and reptiles.

Extra Restrictions: total separation between dairy and meat products, at least for 3 hours (mixtures of meat and dairy are prohibited).

Time of Year: all year.

Tips: “Parve” means no meat or dairy (but may contain eggs or honey).

The Elephant “Sanctuary” label does not always mean it’s ethical

Elephants sanctuaries attract a huge number of tourists. We all love elephants. We all have the fantasy of interacting with an elephant.  But we just don’t know the price elephants have to pay to become domesticated and to give us those rides we dreamed about as children.

PThe truth is that today most elephant species are endangered with less than 45,000 left around the world.

Today many of elephant sanctuaries are filled with animals who used to work for humans, mostly logging and building, who were abused over many years in order to perform their duties, who have always been captive since their infancy and are no longer able to survive in the wild through their own recourses. Some people may say that the sanctuaries are the elephants’ refuge and that they enjoy contact with humans.

But many of these “sanctuaries” today thrive on tourism and continue the exploit those same creatures by having them perform for the tourists, but no one knows what the elephants had to endure to be broken into being tame.

That’s because elephants are not easily domesticated animals, like dogs or cats. You have to “crush” them into submission before they can accept to be exploited. It is a horrible process involving breaking their spirit through violence, humiliation and deprivation of freedom and family.

Some people believe we should not even go anywhere near any sanctuaries at all, as all of them hold elephants captive one way or another. Some believe the most ethical way is to go on safaris where you can see the elephants in the wild from afar.

There are no standards that elephant sanctuaries have to adhere to, whenever you see the following offered, you may want to avoid the place.

What happens in non-ethical sanctuaries?

• Elephant rides

Unless you sit on an elephant’s neck, you will be hurting his back. The platforms made to carry several tourists are especially difficult for the elephant. They are likely to be prodded to be made to obey or given drugs to work longer hours. Some are made to work all day non-stop.

• Elephants play tricks or games for spectators

From circus acts to playing basketball, to those cute feats of elephants painting a picture or playing music, the training done to have the animals obey included a lot of pain and sometimes torture.

• You are invited to go wash the elephant at the river

It may be fun for you but the elephant you are washing and touching is there to give you a thrill while he just conditioned to obey orders. This perhaps is the most devious of all activities where you are fooled into thinking you are doing something nice for the elephant and made to feel good about it.

• When not in “use” the elephants are chained to a tree or enclave

The elephants do not live in big open spaces with other elephants but are chained up whenever they don’t work, being essentially captive slaves.

• They will be breeding the elephants

Nothing wrong there in principle, except that the babies will be tamed and domesticated early on in order to perform the same tricks as their parents. If you see chained animals and babies beside them don’t go Aaaaw! The fate expecting those babies is nothing short of a nightmare.

So where to go to and see elephants?

Well, that’s just the point, you will want to go to those places where you can only see the animals, and sometimes only from afar in order to minimize the impact of human disturbance. And yes, the time when we could touch elephants is over.

• Elephants are in camp but live with no chains within large grounds

They circulate freely, sometimes close to humans but interactions are not encouraged.

• Look for the places that are dedicated to releasing the elephants

After taking care of them, treating them and allowing them to recoup, an ethical sanctuary’s goal will always be to release the animals whenever possible.

• Look for elephant hospitals

The hospitals have no vested interest in domesticating the elephant but are usually dedicated to releasing them as soon as they get better

• Look at elephants in the wild from afar

Some ethical safaris can take up to see the herds out in nature, without disturbing them. This is by far the best option, though some people say that the traffic in and out of the elephant’s environment through paths that are often used creates artificial divisions in the territories that are not without impact.

Disclosure: Some of the links below are affiliate links, meaning if do decide to purchase one of the items through our links, we might earn a small commission at no extra cost for you. This helps us provide you with free quality content.

Cooking Indian Vegan Food

To learn how to master Indian vegan cooking, you first need to learn about its origins. Indian cuisine is seen by many as the most influential cuisine in the world! Spice mixes are vital to enhance the flavoring of most dishes. The Indians can pride themselves as the inventors of the masala and curry spice mixes (see LOCAL FOOD page) which were later on adopted by many other countries who started making their own local variations.

Cooking is considered a form of art in India. Therefore mothers start teaching their daughters how to cook at a young age. Cooking is definitely an essential skill and to be able to make for the family tasty food, a must. The vegetables used in the traditional curry dishes depend on the regions and seasons within the Indian subcontinent.

From North to South India, the recipes vary considerably with Northern cooking relying more on breads and creamy sauces, and Southern cuisine more into coconut and rice-based dishes.

In most western countries, preparing a curry means buying an already made spice mix labelled “Curry” to add to veggies and lentils. However Indians take the time to practice the art of spice blending and the secret of harmonizing the various ingredients in a good curry powder.

So, take a class or do it yourself using a book but promise to try your hand at it! Your potential  rewards may be some of the tastiest fares on the planet.

 

Foolproof cookbooks

Here are two of the Veganarary’s favorite Indian cookbooks. Because both authors were raised within native Indian food cultures, the recipes are as authentic as possible.

 

Vegan Richa’s Indian Kitchen

We gave a definite thumbs up to Vegan Richa’s Indian Kitchen for taste and ease of use.

The recipes are simple and appetizing and the food comes out exquisite and authentic. This is a proven book, with hundreds of raving revues. Richa’s instructions are precise and the images from her kitchen make you feel like you are right there with her.

You will just love her chapatis, naans and papadums.

This is a great cookbook guide for anyone wanting to start their experience with Indian vegan cooking as it has recipes for all the greatest Indian staple dishes. Experienced cooks will love it, as there is no compromise on taste. This book does not bow down to the fusion temptation.

 

Anupy Singla’s Vegan Indian

Definitely the most authentic flavored Indian vegan cookbook. Replete with cultural information, images of markets and local farming scenes, this is the cookbook for the lovers of India and its  cuisine. If you’ve been to India and you want to reminisce about your culinary experience and reproduce the beloved dishes you so much enjoyed there, this book is for you. Also fit for beginners who want to jump with both feet into mastering spices and curries. No doubt Anupy has delivered here a chef-d’oeuvre of vegan India.  There is also a conscious effort to keep the recipes healthy, by diminishing the amounts of oil and sugar.

 

After testing out your skills with these cookbooks we recommend you find our Tools to perfect Indian Cooking article.

 

Do we really need Implements and Tools to Perfect Indian Cooking?

You can always improvise and use whatever you have at home. But there is a reason each cuisine has developed its own tools over the centuries. Every French household has a “Bain-Marie” or a double pan that allows sauces to be cooked in hot water and not straight on the fire. But most households trying their hand at French cooking will just put a pot inside a bigger one filled with water and make do with that. Does it work? Most times. Does it splash water all over as it boils in an unstable equilibrium? Yep.

The same applies to Indian cooking.  After all, a rolling pin is a rolling pin, or is it? There is a reason why these specialized tools are developed by a culture over time: they work better. Should you get them? Well, if you cook Indian food often, absolutely. They are versatile and you can reuse them in the cuisine of many other countries. You decide.

Here are a few basic Implements and Tools to Perfect Indian Cooking, recommended by The Veganary, that will make your life much easier when cooking Indian food:

Pressure cooker / Instant Pot

A pressure cooker is a really indispensable item for cooking Indian meals, because most Indian dishes use some type of legume that needs to be well cooked. You could get by with a regular pot, but a pressurized one will save you both time and money as it takes less than a third of the cooking time. Therefore if you plan on making a few separate Indian dishes, the pressure cooker will prove to be vital equipment.

Try to avoid shortening the cooking time of your beans by adding baking soda. It decreases significantly some of the nutrients (vitamin C, D, riboflavin, thiamine and some essential amino acids) in your legumes and vegetables.

A pressure cooker is definitely on of the first items you should consider getting.

Spice blender

Most modern Indian households nowadays have replaced the mortar and pestle of yesteryear by a spice blender, also called a “Mixi” in India. Nothing tastes as good as freshly blended spices.

Not only for Indian cooking, but in all your recipes try replacing the store-bought stale versions of spices with freshly blended ones. You won’t believe the difference!

 

Masala dabba spice box

Every cook’s dream is to keep spices fresh and crunchy! The traditional stainless-steel box usually comes with seven boxes, each with a double lid or separate lids for each box. The fun part is that you can customize your box, by marking and labeling it as you like.

 

Rolling pin and a board

To make everything from chapatis to rotis you will need a rolling pin and if possible, a board to ease the rolling and guide for size. There is a reason why the rolling pin is thin and tapered: small items’ rolling out is better controlled this way. The board really helps and is not just for show. Works also for tacos.

Tawa

In other words, a griddle with no sides for your chapatis and rotis. Pick them up with a pair of large tweezers (also called chimtas or chippos). Use it for your tortillas and tacos too! By eliminating the edges, this pans makes it much easier to flip or turn your flat breads over

 

Once equipped, here are the absolute BEST GUIDES to transform you into a pro vegan Indian cuisine magician!

 

 

 

What our experience taught us:

We’ve all been there. You book a decent hotel. You write a comment in the special request section mentioning that you are vegan, hoping they will accommodate your needs. Only to arrive for early morning breakfast and find the regular eggs and toast with butter, jam and if you are lucky, some small pieces of fresh fruit.

As nomadic vegans, we have spent the last two years traveling around the world and compiling info to make our vegan travel website The Veganary.

It is our belief that vegan food can be found in nearly every country, but it might prove to be a hard task sometimes, especially when you are outside of major cities and tourist destinations. Due to the lack of options available to us, we often found ourselves eating unhealthy and unsatisfying foods like plain carbs or snacks and sweets (see our Animated Video).

 

What changed

Two years ago, before setting off to yet another destination, we noticed that we had some extra room left in our bags and decided to bring along our vegan saviour, the travel blender. Looking back, this decision impacted our travels more the we could have ever imagined!

It was worth mentioning that only later on did we find out the importance of carrying with us a good travel knife. This is essential if you want to have something versatile to easily cut through all your fruits and veggies, while at the same light and easy to carry. If you only travel occasionally then you can probably get by with choosing a light kitchen knife.

 

Haleluya!!

With the combo of the travel blender and knife our travels became a vegan paradise! It allowed us to easily make our own smoothie bowls, savory dips and spreads, fresh fruits and salads, and even cookies at times where our accommodation included an oven. We were blown away by how much our small blender changed the travelling experience for us!

As long as you stay open minded and use fresh local produce, we are sure you will find many other creative ways of incorporating it in to your diet.

We recommend the travel blender and knife to all vegans, but especially for those traveling on a lower budget. This is because you can stop depending on restaurants and start buying your food products in the local markets, potentially cutting your eating costs by half of even more. While enjoying some of the healthiest, tastiest, cheapest food your destination has to offer.

 

Here are some ideas of how you can use your blender while traveling:

 

Savory or sweet spreads/dips/sauces:

They are soooo tasty and are real life savers! Ingredients such as nuts, dried fruit, herbs and spices are relatively easy to find in most countries. The sauces are extremely helpful when your only vegan option is a plain carb such as bread, rice or potatoes. By making the right spread / sauce combining it with a few commonly found fresh vegetables, you can turn what would otherwise be a dull meal into a true delicacy.

 

 

Smoothies:

Might be the most obvious option, but also one of the most useful. A good smoothie can be a full nutritious breakfast if made with fruits, oats, nuts and seeds. Or instead opt for a hearty smoothie bowl. Fresh fruits, vegetables and greens, can be used according to the country and season. Making also a perfect small snack in the middle of the day to sweeten things up.

 

 

Energy Bars / Cookies:

They are real life savers when you are unsure of the amount of the available vegan options in your upcoming day. So many delicious raw vegan recipes for snacks, energy bars and cookies. The ingredients to make them can easily be found in most countries, since they are mostly made out of flour, nuts, seeds and dried fruit or dark chocolate.  These proved to be absolutely vital for all those unexpected times; you cannot locate any vegan food options nearby.

 

 

 

Disclosure: Some of the links below are affiliate links, meaning if do decide to purchase one of the items through our links, we might earn a small commission at no extra cost for you. This helps us provide you with free quality content.

 

 

Our Recommended Travel Blenders:

Since you are traveling, you don’t really need or want to take with you a high-end blender. You are much better getting something reasonably priced, So you should not have to worry about if it gets broken or stolen.  Ours survived for 3 years, first at home and then through intensive traveling ! Here are our choices for the best reasonably priced travel blender under 40 USD.

 

PopBabies

The PopBabies is a Unique Detachable Travel Blender. Cup size is 500ml (17oz). The design is sleek and elegant. Built in USD rechargeable battery of 4000mAh, with the possibility simultaneously blend and charge. The PopBabies is a bit stronger than the Vitamer with 170W and 22,000 rpm. At the same time it is also slightly heavier at 590g (1.3 pounds).

 

Vitamer

The vitamer blender is a small, lightweight and compact. The size of the cup is 500ml (17oz) making it one of the smaller travel blenders. Built-in you will find a USB port to recharge of your battery of 4000mAh, with 150W and a max speed of 20,000 rpm. Not recommended to blend whilst charging. Total Wight of 550g (1.2 pounds).

 

 

Kacsoo

This blender is similar to the others, small compact and handy. It’s main feature is the powerful battery of 5200mAh. Making it last more blends, but has less blending power at 126W and 16500 rpm. This blender will be useful for people who travel to far places where constant electricity might be a problem.

 

Top Vegan Travel Blender:

Our top recommendation for a vegan travel blender is Pop Babies! This is because we have great experience with their blenders. They are the most powerful in this category, and products includes a silicone ice tray and funnel. Which have proven to be extremely useful instruments for us when traveling.

 

Travel Knife

We found that a good travel knife comes in handy when traveling. If you do bring your own from home, take a kitchen knife, do not count on your swiss army one. In our mind though, investing 9 USD on a proper travel knife is a wise choice that will serve you well.

This is the knife we have been using for a few years already and still in perfect shape:

ZYLISS

Our top recommendation is a 5.5-Inch Utility Knife by ZYLISS is made of stainless steel and is perfect for slicing, peeling and cutting your fruits veggies. The knife is sharp, easy to sharpen and very comfortable in general. When finished, just slide the blade cover and you are good to go.

 

 

For those who are looking for a larger or smaller knifes we can recommend these knifes that are also by ZYLISS.

 

 

 

 

Getting to know India

So, you just landed in India and you’ve been told that India is a vegetarian paradise. It is! But as a vegan your major problem will be: how to avoid all those dairy products that are found in so many vegetarian dishes.  This article will help you steer past any added milk products that may decide to come your way so that you can celebrate the amazing food culture India has to offer.

For more info about vegan in India, be sure to check out our Local Food tab that will help you become more familiarized with  the local vegan foods.

 

Why Is There So Much Dairy In Indian Food?

After the 1970 white revolution in India, Dairy became an integral part of Indian cuisine. The milk is consumed in various forms such as milk, paneer (cottage cheese), curd/yoghurt, buttermilk, makhan/butter, ghee (clarified butter), processed cheese, milk powder etc. Often these products are not directly observable nor noticeable in the foods, making it a challenge to avoid dairy products for visiting vegans.

Today India has taken the pole position and is producing the largest amounts of milk in the world!

 

 

Main points you should keep in mind when eating / ordering vegan food in India:

1. The meaning of “vegetarian” is not the same in India

Unlike in the West, where a vegetarian diet included eggs, milk, honey; here in India vegetarian implies people who are consuming plants, Milk and honey products only. Egg eaters are usually known as Eggetarians.

2. Your waiter may not know what vegan means

The majority of Indians have no clear distinction between vegan and vegetarian. So, whenever you say to someone in India that you are a vegan, there is a high possibility that you will be mistaken as a vegetarian.

3. The green dot on packages does not always mean vegan

A vegan diet is not officially recognized by the govt of India. So, if you see a food packet (or even a restaurant) that says ‘Pure Vegetarian’, or labelled with a green dot, it may still contain dairy or honey products. Hence, it is always recommended to read the ingredients on the back of packed foods before you buy.

4. It doesn’t hurt to spell out over and over what you do not eat

ALWAYS make sure you inform the waiter about the kind of food you are looking for. Make sure he clearly understands what you have ordered and tell him not to add any dairy-based products in the foods. Repeat your request if needed. Say: “Don’t add milk, ghee, paneer, curd, cream, butter, etc. Absolutely NO dairy products in the foods we order.”

5. Remember that:

• The majority of North Indian vegetarian cuisines contain dairy as oppose to south Indian vegetarian cuisines – which are likely vegan.
• The majority of desserts/sweets in India do contain dairy. Hence, it’s preferred to consume jaggery based desserts. However, as a precaution, it’s better to check with the steward or on the packaging.
• Some dishes may not contain dairy in itself, but they are served with a cup of curd/yoghurt on the side, which you can ask them to take back.
• If the food looks creamy, it likely has the dairy product in it.Tea and Coffee in India are always prepared with milk. So, you can order black tea or black coffee. Starbucks India has recently introduced plant-based milk in their menu at some of their stores, you can check that as well.

10. The good news:

• Chinese vegetarian food in India is usually vegan as the recipes do not contain dairy-based ingredients.
• The majority of the breakfast menu in India is vegan. However many do add butter or ghee to garnish the food, especially for the common breakfast items like dosa and idli. Here, when you order, you can say “make it with oil and not butter.. don’t add ghee or butter”, etc.

Product Markings

Another useful tip is that all products sold in India are marked with “Vegetarian” and “Non-Vegetarian” symbols. It’s important to mention that if a item has egg inside it will be considered non veg and will be marked with the red/brownish dot, even though no actual meat was added to the product.

Conclusion

To sum it up, vegetarian cuisine in India is vast and has unique items based on the culture and the state/province you are travelling in. In general the most vegan-friendly foods are breakfast items, street foods, south Indian vegetarian meals, Chinese vegetarian cuisines  and desserts/sweets made with jaggery. However, it’s advisable to confirm with the seller/steward, before ordering the food.

Having mentioned all these things, one must not worry. India is one of the most vegan-friendly places you can visit in the world. Your journey will be smooth and stress-free especially if you know what to eat and order. Since 2018 there is a growing number of vegan restaurants, especially in the metropolitan cities. So when you are travelling it is best to keep a list of vegan restaurants in your checklist along with joining facebook vegan groups like: Vegans In India and India Vegan Revolution or asking your question through The Veganary India Forum Tab.

 

 

This article was written by:

Harsha Atmakuri is a doctor (MBBS) by education and used to work as a Medical Writer before he left his job back in May 2018 to become a full-time independent Animal Rights Activist. He primarily works on Animal Rights awareness campaigns – offline and online. He’s the founder of Truth Is Vegan and Vegans Of India.

Vegan Travel

Traveling to a new destination is always fun. Getting to experience different cultures, traditions and people is truly an enriching life experience. That is why we all love traveling so much! We don’t want this to change just because of our vegan requirements.

How vegan friendly is your destination? Begin by visiting The Veganary’s Snapshot tab for your intended country to get a better understanding of what to expect when you arrive.

In addition, we have compiled a vegan travel checklist for you to go over as you plan your next vacation. Here are the the 10 vegan travel tips that you should always use, no matter your destination.

Tips for Traveling the World as Vegans

1 – Do Your Research

Our first vegan travel tip is also our most important one. Traveling the world as vegans can be fun, easy and simple IF you arrive properly prepared.

When you are at your home, you know exactly what local dishes are vegan and how to ask for non vegan dishes to be veganized. You also know at least several vegan restaurants and are probably also aware of vegan snacks, milks and meat substitutes.

All this useful info is non-existent when you arrive at a new destination. If you are lucky, you can speak the local language. But most time you will find yourself with added an language barrier, that makes it even harder to explain your vegan needs.

This is why research is the most important and time consuming part of your preparation and why we try to provide our data in the easiest and most efficient way possible.

So to properly prepare yourself we highly recommend going over the tabs that are of interest to you in our country guides. Each country has 9 categories of different vegan related information.

2- Meet Local Vegans

The absolute best way to familiarize yourself with local vegan culture is by connecting with local vegans in the country. They will be able to provide you with the most authentic vegan information and experience. They will also help you better familiarize yourself with the local food culture.

Until now, the best way to do this was by joining local vegan Facebook groups and trying to befriend some local vegans. As you can understand it’s not always an easy task.

Soon we will be launching our vegan tours with local vegans. Be sure to sign up to our site if you are interested in taking a tour with a local vegan or becoming a vegan tour guide yourself.

3 – HappyCow and Google Offline Maps

HappyCow is a great app for finding vegan restaurants in your upcoming destination. This worldwide veg friendly app will show you restaurants depending on your diet preferences.  While catering both to vegans and vegetarians.

Our advice is to mark any potential points of interest such as: restaurants and health food store on Google Maps. Then download the offline google map of your destination with all your saved locations so you can later navigate offline through town, or to any vegan restaurant if needs be.

 

4 – Let Your Hosts Know

No matter where you are planning on staying, whether in a hotel or with a family member, make sure to let your hosts know about your vegan preferences.

Obviously when staying in a large hotel you may not get as much of an empathetic ear as you would wish, but from our experience it has helped us in the past even in these. Hotels try to make their customers happy and you will be surprised at the lengths they can go to fix you up with a tasty vegan meal.

If you are staying with some of your family or a family run hostel, tell them about your vegan preferences. This will probably get a positive result. They might even help you to get some vegan supplies before you arrive. You may also get them interested in your vegan lifestyle. As long as you respect them, others will (usually) respect you as well.

 

5 – Plan Food for Your Journey

First always book a vegan meal option if your airline carrier offers it. If you  forgot, most companies will allow you to call in and change your food preferences at least 3 days prior to your flight.

If your plane does not offer vegan options or food at all, be sure to take enough food from home so you can comfortably reach your destination before going out to find new supplies.

There is no better guarantee that you will have a satisfying vegan meal than packing your very own. Although the vegan lifestyle is becoming more apparent in today’s trends, it not so developed in some countries, so it’s always a good idea to pack some vegan staples and snacks. 

For plane food inspiration be sure to go over Cadry’s Kitchen find Vegan Tips for Taking Food on the Plane.

6 – Plan Your Trip in Places With a Kitchen

Finding a place to stay where you have your own kitchen and equipment to make food is an especially smart choice if:

1. You are visiting a country that is not considered to be a vegan-friendly one, meaning not very accommodating to vegans.
2. You are planning to stay a long time at a certain destination. We all love to eat out, but doing this each day takes its toll. It’s always nice to have at least some control over your food intake and preparation, especially if you are staying long term.
3. When you are traveling outside of major cities, you will most likely not find a large variety of vegan restaurants. It is easier to cook for oneself then, instead of constantly stressing over food options.

7 – Learn Vegan Related Vocabulary in the Local Language

When traveling to countries that speak other languages, take some time to go over the vegan related vocabulary tab to learn some useful words. The locals will most likely laugh at your pronunciation, but will be happy with your attempts to learn their language, making them more open to your vegan requests.

It is also recommended to print or do some screenshots of our vegan vocabulary page and take it with you just for backup, in case some of those new words slip your mind. 

 

8 – Use your imagination to Veganize Foods

In an ideal world, we would have endless vegan restaurants, or at least vegan options available as we please. This can be the case if you are traveling in large modern capitals where the vegan culture is well-rooted.  Outside of these vegan paradises, it’s more likely that people won’t even know what vegan means.

If you find yourself in a restaurant that offers no vegan options at all, it is time to get creative. Replace meat with tofu, rice, potatoes, or any other vegan-friendly food that you love. Order your pasta dishes with a marinara sauce or ask for grilled vegetables coated in olive oil.

To get some ideas on how to Veganize dishes in your upcoming trip be sure to visit the Local Food tab in your destination country.

Best way to find veganizable dishes

1. Take a look at the menu and find the dish that shows the least amount of animal products. Many times dishes are only garnished with cream or meat, and are not the main ingredient in the dish. Ask if this ingredient can be left out from the preparation of your food.
2. Try to find foods that are made fresh upon order, rather than ready-made foods that are impossible to alter. This way you can ask waiters to leave out the animal products from your freshly prepared food.

 

9 – Always have a plan B

For unexpected times, such as when you travel a long distance, just to find that your anticipated vegan restaurant is actually closed, it’s good to have a plan B.

Always take with you an extra supply of bars, snacks and other “munchables” to keep you full until you find an alternative.

 

10 – If Possible Make Sure to Take With you a Portable Blender

Traveling with a portable blender can literally change your travel experience. This is because a blender is a extremely versatile cooking item.

Why not start your day with a homemade fruit smoothie? It tastes delicious, is made only from fresh local fruit and is a true treat.

Not only can you make the obvious shakes and smoothie bowls of your dreams, you can also make a wide variety of raw energy bars, cookies, spreads, dips, sauces and more.
Use your imagination to  its fullest while thinking of the best ways to combine local foods with your small portable blender.
For more ideas about this, be sure to check out our article about Why Every Vegan Should Travel With a Portable Blender. 

 

With these 10 simple vegan travel tips, you can make your journey much more manageable. Remember, you’re heading out of your comfort zone, to have a good time. So, make sure to plan ahead in order to be able to totally relax on your holiday. 

Tricky ghee

Ghee is an intrinsic part of the “culture”

So how do we avoid ghee?

Where is the use of ghee rampant?

Where ghee is less often used?

In the end, you have to rely on trust

 

 

Still have questions? Visit our India Forum tab to get all the answers.

Transiting through a big city in India?

When travelling in India, big cities are rarely a place where travelers stay for an extended period of time. More commonly it’s a place to crash after a long trip and before heading out to nature or the ashrams. If you are looking to hang out with like-minded vegans while improving your vegan cooking skills here is our top suggestion:

Take some Vegan Cooking Classes in India!

If you find yourself in one of the larger cities such as Mumbai, Bangalore, Delhi, Chennai or Ahmedabad or Jaipur you must check out the vegan cooking class with SHARAN! There is no better way to make use of your time than to take some vegan cooking classes in India! Learn how to make healthy versions of the Indian food you love so much!

SHARAN is everywhere!

SHARAN, which stands for “Sanctuary for Health and Reconnection to Animals and Nature” is situated in Auroville, in the South of India. It gives vegan cooking classes in India, with branches all over: Bangalore, Delhi, Chennai, Mumbai etc.

They provide lectures and cooking classes in whole plant-based nutrition to be exact. So the recipes will always be healthy!

It is the Forks Over Knives or the Physician’s Committee for Responsible Medicine of India and Dr Nandita Shah, its luminary. She, and her team, are responsible for turning back to health thousand of people suffering from chronic diseases, through the use of a whole plant-based diet. She got the 2016 President of India Award for her work with disease reversal, in particular diabetes.

SHARAN’s cooking classes are attended by thousands of people from all over the world.

Fed up learning to cook Indian in mainstream cooking classes?

You know how it is in the omnivore world: you take a cooking classes in Mumbai, you hear your instructor and hold in your mind the dishes that need to omit the ghee, the cream etc. so that you can make a vegan version of them later on. In the end, you sometimes can’t even eat what you’ve prepared.

Well no more!

 

Whole Plant-based healthy Indian classes tailored for you!

We are talking here about authentic Indian recipes completely vegan and healthy. No second thoughts, no worries, but full-on taste.

Here are some of the classes you can take:

–   Specialized Cuisine sessions – South Indian, North Indian, Gujarati etc.

–   Millet and Tofu Magic

–  Breads & Cheeses

– Gluten-free Ideas

– Naturally Sweetened DessertsSh

SHARAN can also make tailor-make classes according to your needs and demands.

 

If you want to know which dishes are already vegan by default in India, please see our Indian Local Food tab and  our Snacks & Stores tab to better know your options in India.