What is a non-vegetarian food that mimics the taste of ahimsa meat or meat in a country known for its variety in vegetarian dishes?
Mock meat nuggets are used to make many dishes. (Photo: iStock)
Mock meat nuggets are used to make many dishes. (Photo: iStock)
By Jahnabi Bohr
Vegetarianism is not a binary concept. The practice of eating meat or avoiding it altogether is spectrum. "9 Vegans in India": Pure vegetarian, vegan, egg-eating but not chicken, gravy-eating but non-vegetarian food, drinks on Tuesdays and Thursdays, Tuesdays and Thursdays, non-vegetarian food can only be eaten outside the home, not inside, among others. There is a word to describe whose diet is depicted here. They are called Flexitarians.
Chop one side of the meat with the meat
The demand for mock meat in India seems to be increasing. "Two-thirds of our customers are carnivores and 40% are repeat visitors," says Gooddo CEO Abhinav Sinha. The fast food restaurant chain, which has its headquarters in Udaipur, is on its own journey with a food truck and now has six cafes and kiosks in Mumbai. The food truck was launched as a testing ground for its parent company, Gooddot, which is considered one of the pioneers of the Indian mock meat industry. It offers products such as mock meat, tikka, biryani and meaty bites, which can be added to salads, gravy, and even used as a filling for momo. Gooddo's crisp burger was recognized by animal rights firm Peta India as India's best vegetarian burger last year. Sinha says that carnivores are also full of crisp vegan nuggets that mimic the texture and taste of successful chicken nuggets.
Mock meat is not limited to mutton and chicken. Startup Evo Foods, which deals with plant-based substitutes for animal products, is releasing a vegan egg this year. It is liquid, lab-produced with moong dal and beans that can make an omelette or poached egg. “If someone is buying free-range eggs, this means that in addition to making wise choices, they care about animal welfare. This product is vegan, no cholesterol, no trans fat and we believe that Evo Eggs truly loves egg taste and nutrition, ”says Shraddha Bhansali, CEO of Evo Foods.
ounder of the vegan restaurant Candy & Green in the upscale breech candy neighborhood of South Mumbai. Pre-lockdown, they had a lot of carnivores. He probably enjoys mock meatballs with spaghetti and then eats chicken with dinner without any offense: “Eating too much carnivore is mostly a crime. But if you have the opportunity to eat a vegan that tastes like mutton or chicken, you can turn it into a vegetarian or vegan and add it to your regular diet. ”
In addition to restaurants and ready-to-cook products, cloud kitchens are also stepping into the mock meat industry, fueled by money. Financial services group investments include startups such as Ashika Capital's initiative, Future Bets, Artificial Intelligence and Alternative Protein. "We are in talks with Cloud Kitchen leader Rebel Foods to introduce plant-based protein options," says Mihir Mehta, senior vice president at Ashika Capital. They have a bright future in the industry, with plant-based products made from soy, cauliflower and coconut.
Faux pas with spaghetti bolognese. (Photo: iStock)
Faux pas with spaghetti bolognese. (Photo: iStock)
Good meat
Recently, the mock meat industry has been running around with celebrity news. Vegetarians Ritish and Genelia Deshmukh have announced the sale of plant-based meat company Imagine Meats as a substitute for chicken and mutton. In a number of interviews, Ritesh has admitted to being a "hard-core" meat eater, adopting vegan and plant-based meat alternatives to satisfy their taste, texture and flavor.