Food

About the food in Cambodia

In summary, it can be said that Cambodia is not an easy country for vegetarians, as this is a strange concept in this country where meat consumption dominates. But there are always options like noodle soups, curries and some snacks that help to get around the situation!

As in Lao, the noodle soups continued to be present but the quality decreased: not only are the broths less aromatic, but sometimes the noodles are made from dry pasta or even instant noodles. The usual dish of aromatic herbs and vegetables that accompanied these soups in the neighbouring country, is often absent here.

In Cambodian food, there is a strong influence of Chinese and Vietnamese cuisine, which is visible in the many restaurants serving “phò”, the traditional vietnamese noodle soup.

Another influence of China is the hot pots, which are very popular among Cambodians (as in many other Southwest Asian countries), especially in cities and particularly on weekends, where these restaurants are filled with families and groups of friends who share this meal, consisting of a pan with a boiling broth, where pieces of meat are floating, which remain hot on the table with the use of a mini gas stove, and where the various side dishes, such as cabbage, fresh herbs, pasta, pieces of meat and also viscera…

These noodle soups, prepared at the moment, can be made in the vegetarian version, however, although meat is not added, there is no increase in the amount of vegetables that usually come down to a handful of soy sprouts and a few cabbage leaves. As for the broth that serves as the base for these soups, almost transparent and with a light flavour, it is likely to contain products of animal origin in its preparation.

The so-called rice soups, popular as a morning meal, although a little boring, are also an option for vegetarians, since you can always order without meat, alternatively adding soy sprouts.

More advisable in terms of a vegetarian diet are fry-noodles, where the rice noodles are stir fry with some vegetables and egg and seasoned with mysterious sauces.

Coffee is usually served with ice and is almost always sweetened with condensed milk. The preparation is in everything similar to that found in Vietnam, with the boiling water being poured over the coffee in a kind of metallic filter, placed on the top of the glass. Often the coffee is already made, in a very concentrated dose, which is then diluted in hot water when the coffee is served. The flavour is smooth but with a particular flavour, but it is necessary to use a certain communication skill to avoid the popular condensed milk, which totally crushes the original flavour of the coffee.

The curries continue to be strongly present, much less spicy than in neighbouring Thailand, served with the usual dose of rice. The most popular of these curries is amok, which can be seafood, fish, meat or just vegetables, highlighting the mild aroma of spices from which lemongrass, turmeric and ginger stand out. Traditionally this dish is made very slowly, in steam, on a banana leaf. Not as easy to find as a noodle soup, amok served with rice is a delicious option for vegetarians and is more likely to be found in restaurants than in markets.

In Cambodia, vegetarian options are scarcer than in other countries in Southeast Asia, dominating meat, whether fresh or processed in the form of small meatballs whose appearance is far from attractive but which is extremely popular in Cambodia. In the south of the country, given the proximity to the sea, fish and seafood are strongly present, with markets offering a wide variety of products, which is reflected in the dishes and even street snacks.

And as in any Asian country, street food has a strong presence, due to its variety, both in sweets and in snacks, appearing at specific times of the day, often next to markets, schools, or in the busiest streets of cities. They can be small stalls transported on bicycles or compact kitchens coupled to motorcycles.

As in many Southwest Asian countries, it is not difficult to find exotic foods by European standards, and Cambodia seems to offer even more opportunities to find frogs for sale in the markets or grasshoppers fried at a street stall.

Sopa de arroz, servida somente de manhã, como primeira refeição do dia, e que muitas vezes é acompanhada de uma especie de pão frito — Rice soup, served only in the morning, as the first meal of the day, which is often accompanied by a kind of fried bread

stree food em Siem Reap — street food in Siem Reap

pasteis de massa de arroz recheados com legumes e mergulhados numa mistura de molhos doces, salgados e picantes — rice noodles stuffed with vegetables and dipped in a mixture of sweet, savoury and spicy sauces

banca que todas as noite surge nas ruas de Siem Reap servindo a sopa de noodles tradicional do Vietnam — every night several small stands appear on the streets of Siem Reap serving Vietnamese traditional noodle soup

muitas vezes é possivel encontrar fruta já descascada e cortada que se vende nas ruas, em especial nas zonas mais frequentadas por turistas. — it is often possible to find already peeled and cut fruit that is sold on the streets, especially in the areas most frequented by tourists

bancas de venda de comida em Siem reap, em frente ao local de partidas dos autocarros... depois da hora de ponta mudan-se para outras paragens. — food stalls in Siem reap, in front of the bus departure point … but after the rush hour it moves to other stops

chá que está semptre disponivel nas mesas — tea that is always available on the tables

sops de noodles com legumes — noodle soup with vegetables

molhos e mais molhos... mas poucos picantes, em comparação com o que era oferecido na Tailândia ou mesmo no Laos — sauces and more sauces … but few spicy, compared to what was offered in Thailand or even Laos

café confeccionado de forma semelhante à que se encontra no Vietnam — ice coffee made by the filter process

street-food em Phnom Penh — street-food in Phnom Penh

fruta de uma especie de palmeira, servida com leite de coco, gelo e muito, muito açucar — toddy fruit, from a kind of palm tree, translucent and gelatinous, served with coconut milk and ice…. very sugary

fruta de uma especie de palmeira — toddy palm fruit

mercado de Phnom Penh — Phnom Penh market

bolos cozinhados ao vapor, em folha de bananeira — steamed cakes in banana leaf

noodles fritos com legumes e ovo estrelado... sempre frito dos dois lados! — fried noodles with vegetables and a fried egg … always fried on both sides!

um dos muitos snacks de rua: massa doce frita e salpicada de sésamo — one of the many street snacks: fried sweet dough, sprinkled with sesame seads

restaurante de phô em Phnom Penh — “phô” restaurant in Phnom Penh

Vegetable “amok“… the famous Cambodian curry that most of the times is made with fish, but that can also be ordered in a vegetarian version only with legumes.

Uma especie de custard, mas cozinhada dentro de uma pequena abóbora que depois de cozida se pode comer a casca; é servida às fatias, regadas com leite de côco, calda de açucar, gelo e leite condensado. Muito popular na Tailândia, pode-se também encontrar nos mercados do Camboja

A kind of custard, but cooked inside a small pumpkin that after being cooked you can eat the peel; it is served sliced, drizzled with coconut milk, sugar syrup, ice and condensed milk. Very popular in Thailand, it can also be found in Cambodian markets

banca no mercado de Sihanouk Ville dedicada à venda de doces, onde domina o leite de côco e o leite condensado — stall in the Sihanouk Ville market dedicated to the sale of sweets, where coconut milk and condensed milk dominate

Food of Punjab

For those who quickly get tired of the menu offered in the Golden Temple canteen, which varies little beyond dhal, chapati and rice, there are many interesting options in the city.

Punjab is famous for its food, which has become an image and brand of ‘Indian food’ in European countries, which is characterised essentially by thick and spicy curries; heavy but tasty.

Bhai Kulwant Sing, que pelo nome e pelo turbante envergado pelo homem que s encontra à entrada a receber os pagamentos, é propriedade de sikhs, oferecendo uma boa variedade de kulchas e onde se pode saborear o ‘special lassi’.... a não perder a ‘panner kulcha’ e o espesso lassi!!!! — Bhai Kulwant Sing, who by name and the turban worn by the man who finds himself at the entrance to receive payments, is owned by Sikhs, offering a good variety of kulchas and where you can taste the ‘special lassi’ …. miss the ‘panner kulcha’ and the thick lassi !!!!

‘panner kulcha’ servida com um caril de grão e um pickle à base de cebola e chilli, no Bhai Kulwant Sing, situado a pouco mais do que cinco minutos do templo, numa das ruas estreitas da ‘Old City’, do restaurante Bhai Kulwant Sing. Este prato é consumido geralmente como pequeno-almoço, sendo as ‘kulchas’ também servidas como acompanhamento dos pratos — ‘panner kulcha’ served with a grain curry and an onion and chilli pickle, at Bhai Kulwant Sing, located just over five minutes from the temple, on one of the narrow streets in the ‘Old City’, of the Bhai Kulwant restaurant Sing. This dish is usually consumed as a breakfast, with ‘kulchas’ also served as an accompaniment to the dishes

vendedor ambulante de kulfi, um gelado feito à base de leite, muito açúcar, cardamomo e pistácio. Fácil de encontrar também em pequenas lojas no bazar que se encontra à entrada do templo, perto da ‘Old City’ — street vendor of kulfi, an ice cream made from milk, a lot of sugar, cardamom and pistachio. Easy to find also in small stores in the bazaar at the entrance to the temple, close to the ‘Old City’

Bharawan da Dhaba... não confundir com outro exactamente com o mesmo nome, situado ao lado. Este é o ‘oldest and world famous’ dhaba que serve thalis ao estilo do Punjab — Bharawan from Dhaba … not to be confused with another exactly with the same name, located next to it. This is the ‘oldest and world-famous’ dhaba that serves Punjab style thalis

thali do Bharawan da Dhaba, de caris espessos, à base de lentilhas e grão, onde o panner marca forte presença e o arroz surge discreto, sendo suplantado pelos pelo naan (pão espalmado) e pelas estaladiças e amanteigadas kulchas — thali from Bharawan da Dhaba, with thick curries, based on lentils and grain, where the panner is strongly present and the rice appears discreet, being supplanted by naan (flatbread) and crispy and buttery kulchas

Lassiwalla, estabelecimento que fabrica e vende os lassis, feitos à base de iogurte, que é batido e açucarado, sendo servido em grandes copos: frio, espesso e espumoso, com uma camada de curd, no topo. Em Amritsar, nas ruas do bazar que envolve o Golden Temple encontram-se talvez dos melhores lassis experimentados na Índia, servidos tradicionalmente em recipientes de barro, que se deitam fora depois de usados, mas que aos poucos vão sendo substituídos por copos metálicos — Lassiwalla, an establishment that manufactures and sells lassis, made from yogurt, which is whipped and sweetened, served in large glasses: cold, thick and foamy, with a layer of curd on top. In Amritsar, in the streets of the bazaar that surrounds the Golden Temple are perhaps the best lassis experienced in India, traditionally served in clay containers, which are thrown away after being used, but which are gradually being replaced by metal cups

Despite only lacto-vegetarian food is served in the Golden Temple canteen, the sikhs are free to choose any kind of diet including the consumption of meat, except the one from animal killed in a ritualistic manner (the opposite from muslim and jewish).

So, I Punjab, as in general in the North of India, the vegetarian food is widely available but most of the restaurants also serve meat, being rare the “pure veg” restaurants like in South of India. Yet, it’s not difficult to find a typical vegetarian meal or a snack, but it is worth making sure that what is servile does not include meat.

South Indian food

To all the attractions that southern India has, in particular the state of Tamil Nadu, we must add the food, which here presents a greater diversity of vegetables and spices, resulting in a wide variety of flavors, colors, and aromas, dominated by spicy, served on banana leaves and accompanied with the ubiquitous cooked rice, which in the south replaces the chapatis that in the north always accompany them with meals. What is also never missing are papadis, a thin sheet of grain pasta seasoned with spices and which is fried and crispy.

For breakfast, dosas are served, a kind of very thin and crispy crepe, made with rice and lentil flour, stuffed with vegetables (almost always potatoes) and served with a fresh and spicy coconut chutney, and with the sambar, a light vegetable curry, where the dosa is soaked.

This combination of sambar and chutney can also accompany iddlys, unfermented bread made from lentil flour, which is steamed, or wadas (or vadas), rings of pasta made with lentil flour, flavored with spices and fried in oil.

But the new was pongal, a paste made from overcooked rice, seasoned with cumin, mustard seeds, pieces of fresh ginger and cashews, all wrapped in ghee and cooked with many leaves of rail. Like other breakfast alternatives, pongal is also served with coconut chutney and sambar or another vegetable curry..

The curry tree leaf, which is used here fresh, appears in almost all dishes served in traditional meals, thalis, consisting of rice and a set of three or more side dishes. Many of the meals include the so-called buttermilk, which is a kind of milk, waterier and slightly fermented that gives it a slightly acidic flavour and is served lightly seasoned with salt..

But more often than buttermilk, it is yoghurt that is mixed with rice and the other side dishes that make up a typical South Indian meal.

In traditional southern dishes, coconut, a flower and the banana tree trunk are often used. The panner (fresh non-melting soft cheese made by curdling milk) that was a constant in the north of India, here in the south has a very discreet presence, away from the Muslim areas.

As for the bread… no naans, no chappati or rotis… here are parathas (here pronounced parotta), made of very elastic dough that is spread with the help of oil, beating the dough on the counter until it is thin and starting to tear, when it occurs a knot tying the ends so that after resting it is extended again with a rustic hand and cooked on a plate, often heated with firewood; they are cute and separate into layers… and of course they accompany with a vegetable curry, usually served in the afternoon, as a snack, but never as a side dish of a meal.

The dahl, stewed with lentils, which is served here in the south, thick and consistent, does not compare with what is usually found in the north of the country: very liquid, more like a soup.

The ever-present chai is drunk at any time throughout India, both after meals and as an accompaniment, also serving as an excuse to take a short break during the workday. In Tamil Nadu, chai is often replaced by coffee, which is also sweetened and drunk with milk, served in metal cups, which in turn come in a cylindrical cup, also made of metal; before serving the coffee is poured from one container to another, several times, before being drunk.

Also in the south, with the characteristic tropical climate, there is a greater variety of vegetables. In addition to the potatoes, carrots and herbs, which are ubiquitous in Indian curries, here is common the use of green leafy vegetables, kelas (a kind of nutty cucumber with an intensely bitter taste but which is quite beneficial for purifying the blood), drumstick (or moringa), coconut (the fruit as also the “milk” and oil), banana (trunk and flower also) and jackfruit, as also a wide variety of legumes that often I cannot identify.

As for fruit, mangoes and bananas dominate, which come in many varieties, not only on the outside but also in flavour. Coconut is also sold everywhere, and its pulp is eaten, with the help of a sliver of coconut skin, cut with a machete, after drinking the liquid from the inside.

Thali típico do sul da Índia, servido sobre folha de bananeira e composto por uma grande variedade de caris, servidos em pequenas taças... o arroz veio mais tarde! — Thali typical of South India, served on a banana leaf and composed of a wide variety of curries, served in small bowls, a *puri*, often served as breakfast and a *papad*… rice came later!

Porothas acabadas de fazer — Freshly made porothas… always a bit oily but delicious when warm even plain without the usual sambal

um das muitas bancas que na rua sevem snacks e refeições ligeiras. A massa das porothas, é estendida e esticada até ficar muito fina , sendo depois enrolada formando um nó para depois de repousar, ser estendida com a mão — one of the many stalls serving snacks and light meals on the street. The dough of the porothas is extended and stretched until it is very thin, and then rolled into a knot so that after resting, it is extended by hand

Os pequenos pães brancos são iddlys, que juntamente com a wada acompanham um sambar e um chutney de côco. Como este pequeno-almoço foi comido num restaurante com mais categoria, foram servidos ainda mais dois condimentos, um à base de menta e o outro uma pasta vermelha e muito picante — The small white breads are iddlys, which together with the wada accompany a sambar and a coconut chutney. As this breakfast was eaten in a restaurant with more category, two more condiments were served, one based on mint and the other a red and very spicy paste

Preparação dos iddlys, em que a massa liquida é deitada sobre um prato metálico próprio, com pequenas concavidades. O pano serve para impedir que a massa escorra pelos pequenos orifícios do prato que permitem aos iddlys serem cozinhados ao vapor, em grandes panelas metálicas — Preparation of the *iddlys*, in which the liquid dough is placed on a metal plate, with small concavities. The cloth serves to prevent the dough from dripping through the small holes in the plate that allow the *iddlys* to be steamed in large metal pots

pongal... uma especialidade servida ao pequeno-almoço por todo o estado de Tamil Nadu, acompanhado por um chutney de côco e pelo sambar. A mistura vermelha é uma pasta de malagueta que nunca cheguei a utilizar pois o prato em si já é picante e bastante condimentado. Come-se misturando os acompanhamentos e o pongal com os dedos. — *pongal*… a speciality served for breakfast throughout the state of Tamil Nadu, accompanied by coconut chutney and sambar. The red mixture is a chilli paste that I never got to use because the dish itself is already spicy and very spicy. You eat by mixing the side dishes and the *pongal* with your fingers.

Experimentai o pongal por sugestão deste rapaz nepalês com quem partilhei a mesa de um restaurante em Madurai. Como é tradicional por aqui, o pequeno-almoço é acompanhado pelo café, com leite, servido num copo metálico, e que é servido juntamente com uma taça, para a qual o café é vertido diversas vezes antes de ser bebido pelo copo. — Try pongal at the suggestion of this Nepalese guy with whom I shared a table in a restaurant in Madurai. As is traditional here, breakfast is accompanied by **coffee**, with milk, served in a metal cup, which is served together with a cup, into which the coffee is poured several times before being drunk from the cup.

Este foi um dos mais tradicionais restaurantes que encontrei em Thanjavur, em que nem prato havia, sendo a comida servida directamente em folha de bananeira colocada em cima da mesa. As doses de arroz são sempre exageradas. Os acompanhamentos vão sendo servidos sempre que um empregado passa com pequenos baldes e se apercebe que não são suficientes para acompanhar a dose de arroz, podendo-se repetir as vezes que se quiser. — This was one of the most traditional restaurants that I found in Thanjavur, where there was no dish, the food being served directly on a banana leaf placed on the table. The doses of rice are always exaggerated. The accompaniments are served whenever an employee passes with small buckets and realizes that they are not enough to accompany the dose of rice, being able to repeat as many times as you want.

Num dos restaurantes tradicionais de Thanjavur, onde repousam em cima da mesa os "baldes" de onde é servida a comida — In one of the traditional restaurants in Thanjavur, where the “buckets” from which the food is served rest on the table

paan... mistura de nóz moscada partida em pequenos pedaços e que pode ser misturada com vários outros ingredientes, incluíndo tabaco. Esta é uma versão adocicada que é frequentemente consumida após as refeições, sendo colocada na boca até humedecer e posteriormente mastigada. Acredita-se que reduz a acidez da boca após a refeição e assim previne as cáries. Contudo o consumo diário e excessivo de paan provoca manchas vermelhas nos dentes que se vêm frequentemente entre a população mais pobre. — *paan*… mix of nutmeg broken into small pieces and that can be mixed with several other ingredients, including tobacco. This is a sweet version that is often consumed after meals, being put in the mouth until moist and then chewed. It is believed to reduce the acidity of the mouth after a meal and thus prevent cavities. However, daily and excessive consumption of *paan* causes red spots on the teeth that are often seen among the poorest population.

Uma fruta frequente do sul que não consegui fixar o nome: O sabor e textura assemelham-se a uma anona, mas o exterior parece um kiwi — A frequent fruit from the south that I was unable to name: The taste and texture resemble an annona, but the outside looks like a kiwi

Encontra-se uma grande variedade de bananas nos mercados e nos vendedores ambulantes que percorrem as ruas das cidades por onde passei. — You can find a wide variety of bananas in the markets and in the street vendors that roam the streets of the cities where I passed.

Este vegetal encontra-se em quase todos os pratos de caril que comi. É cozinhado cortado em pequenos troços, mas mesmo assim, somente se pode comer o seu interior, pois a parte exterior é demasiado fibrosa — Drumstick aka moringa, is vegetable found in almost every curry dish I’ve ever eaten. It is cooked cut into small pieces, but even so, you can only eat the inside, because the outside is too fibrous

Um dos mais conhecidos restaurantes de Madurai, onde no piso de baixo é servida comida de modo informal, e no piso de cima, geralmente reservado a homens de negócios e a estrangeiros, a mesma comida é servida com acréscimo de 20% no preço devido ao serviço melhorado e ao ar-condiconado... quase que à força tentaram.me encaminhar para o piso superior, mas consegui vitoriosamente comer onde queria — One of the best-known restaurants in Madurai, where food is served informally on the ground floor, and on the top floor with air-con , usually reserved for businessmen and foreigners, the same food is served with a 20% increase in price due to improved service and air-conditioning… they try to push me to top floor, but I managed victoriously to eat where I wanted

Hotel Saravana Bhavan... uma das maores cadeias de restaurantes do sul da Índia. Em Tamil Nadu é frequente os restaurantes chamarem-se de "hotel"... os hoteis são geralmente denominado de "lodge" mas nem sempre é assim, e acaba por causar alguma confusão. — Hotel Saravana Bhavan… one of the largest restaurant chains in southern India. In Tamil Nadu, restaurants are often called “hotel” … hotels are usually called “lodge” but this is not always the case, and it ends up causing some confusion.

For me, South Indian food, especially in the state of Tamil Nadu, is one of the best in the whole country, with only the food of the state of Gujarat as its rival, with a wide variety of flavours and ingredients, intense, spicy and with a certain tropical exoticism, making it simple and unpretentious. All of this makes a meal a delicious experience for the senses.

South India is a vegetarian paradise, with “pure veg” restaurants as well as street food without animal products. However, dairy products are present in both chai and yoghurt, which is often part of thali.

Each visit to Chennai, commonly called Madras, is a delight for the palate, with many options to explore the gastronomic specialities of southern India, from sophisticated restaurants to simple dining halls, not to mention street food !!

South Indian food…. what a delicious memory !!!

Food in Thailand for vegetarians

The fame of Thai gastronomy is entirely deserved, with a great diversity of dishes with a predominance of curries, aromatic and mildly spicy, and noodles, a smooth and soft pasta made with rice flour, present in many of the Thai dishes, like soups and stir-fry.

Generally speaking, rice is always present in any home, and it is common to walk the streets of the neighbourhoods to feel the hot smell of cooked rice at any time of the day, which is almost always made in electric cookers, both at home and in restaurants.

Near the markets, or even on the streets of the city, small stalls are selling cooked rice, both glutinous and normal, in small plastic bags, serving as side dishes for curries, stews or fried fish or meat, and sold in the form of small kebabs.

Sticky rice, or glutinous rice, serves as an accompaniment to many Thai dishes, also serving as a dessert, where it is eaten together with pieces of mango, and often drizzled with sweetened coconut milk, making a good combination. In some markets it is still possible to find this type of rice, which after being cooked is introduced into a bamboo trunk which is then grilled over charcoal; it can be just plain rice or mixed with beans, alfalfa seeds, bananas, meat… the choice is always risky because most sellers don’t speak English and even the sounds I try to pronounce to express my choice for vegetarian food are not understood, most of the time.

This type of long grain rice with a sweet taste, originally from the Issan region (northeastern Thailand), where it adapts well to poorly fertile soils, after being cooked it maintains its firm consistency but is easily added which allows it to be dipped in sauces, it is left to soak in water overnight, so that in the morning it is ready to be cooked.

Very popular, especially among foreigners, is the so-called “fried rice” which is nothing more than previously cooked rice that is stir-fry in the wok, with some pieces of vegetables and flavoured with soy sauce and fish sauce. Far from being my favourite dish, I consider the fried rice as “last resort” option, as the vegetarian option don’t show much nutritional value apart from a lot of carbohydrates and fat!!

It can be considered that the curry paste is the basis of almost all traditional dishes of Thai gastronomy, and can be made with different ingredients, but it usually has ginger, garlic, salt, chili, curry leaf, lemongrass… finely crushed and crushed to form a paste to which salt and spices are added that can be kept for several weeks. According to the dish to be prepared there are several types of curry pastes: green, red, massaman, panang… which are sold in the food markets all around the country.

Another constant is the noodle soup, prepared in less than a minute and very popular as street food, where small stalls only need a large pot with a steaming broth, which when uncovered fills the air with soft aromas, which pieces of green leafy vegetables, meat, or tofu are added to the dish, with the addition of fresh rice noodles, which are instantly ready to eat.

MSG, Monosodium Glutamate. This is the true plague of Thai food that competes strongly with sugar, and is present in almost all dishes, both in restaurants and in street food, which consists of a chemical used to enhance the flavour of food, but controversial use as it is not well tolerated by everyone and can cause gastric problems.

The “pad thai” is undoubtedly the most popular, perhaps because it has become popular with tourists and because it is cheap and easy to make, which makes it present in all restaurants, markets or street stalls. based on sautéed noodles with soy sprouts and a few vegetables, and sprinkled with crushed peanuts. Despite having an egg, it is a good option for vegetarians, but small dried shrimps often appear that ruin this option.

In general, Thai cuisine is not very “friendly” for vegetarians, as many of the dishes often have pork, chicken or shrimp, including noodle soups that are often made with meat broths; even more difficult is for vegan, where the presence of egg is almost mandatory when ordering something vegetarian.

But in the bigger urban areas, the vegetarian diet is getting popular and with a bit of internet research is not difficult to spot a vegetarian or even vegan restaurant. However, the prices are certainly higher than what you can find in street-food.

Tofu is also a presence in Thai cuisine, certainly an influence from neighbouring China, and is seen as one more ingredient in the local dishes, and not necessarily an alternative to meat or fish.

As most of the food is cooked at the moment it’s not difficult to order a vegetarian version of a dish, yet nothing is a guarantee about the use of some “mysterious” sauces that most of the time contain animal products.

There is no strict timetable for meals, nor a specific type of food for each meal, and a soup of noodles or a piece of fried chicken with rice can be served for breakfast, lunch, or dinner.

restaurante de rua em Bangkok que surge diáriamente ao fim do dia dedicada exclusivamente à preparação de um prato feito à base de legumes e de carne ou marisco, que são cozinhados numa chapa aquecida sobre lume forte, enquanto são vigorosamente mexidos e regados com caldos e molhos — street restaurant in Bangkok that appears daily at the end of the day dedicated exclusively to the preparation of a dish made with vegetables and meat or seafood, which are cooked on a heated plate over high heat, while being vigorously stirred and drizzled with broths and sauces

A restaurant next to Ayutaya train station, which in the morning, even before dawn, already serves simple meals, such as soup and noddles and pad thai

uma das muitas sopas de noodles que podem ser encontradas pelos restaurantes tailandeses; esta é uma variante vegetariana com tofu, mas a base é a mesma das tradicionais sopas à base de carne: caldo que está sempre fumegante numa panela ao lume, que é deitado sobre os legumes e onde são colocados os noodles (massa de arroz) que é cozinhada pouco mais de trinta segundos numa outra panela com água a ferver. Tudo isto é feito em menos de um minuto. — one of the many noodle soups that can be found in Thai restaurants; this is a vegetarian variant with tofu, but the base is the same as the traditional meat-based soups: broth that is always steaming in a pan over the heat, which is laid over the vegetables and where the noodles (rice noodles) are placed it is cooked just over thirty seconds in another pan with boiling water. All of this is done in less than a minute.

Uma das bancas de venda de salsichas, e outros derivados de carne ou de peixe, apresentado uma consistência estranha, de textura compacta e cor artificial, mas que, a avaliar pelo numero destas bancas, são bastante apreciadas pelos tailandeses, que as consomem enquanto andam pela rua ou levam para casa juntamente com sacos de arroz, já cozinhado — One of the stalls selling sausages, and other meat or fish products, presented a strange consistency, of compact texture and artificial color, but which, judging by the number of these stalls, are highly appreciated by the Thais, who consume them while walking down the street or take home with bags of rice, already cooked

Em alguns mercados é ainda possivel encontrar leite de coco feito na hora, que é vendido juntamente com o coco ralado resultante do processo de obtebção do liquido — In some markets, it is even possible to find freshly made coconut milk, which is sold together with the grated coconut resulting from the process of obtaining the liquid

Sopa de arroz acompanhada de massa frita, que é um dos tradicionais pratos consumidos pela manhã, mas que tb se pode encontrar em algusn restaurantes ao longo do dia. A base é muito semelhante à sopa de noodles, sendo feita à base de um caldo de legumes, onde é colocado o arroz muito coziso e por vezes ligeiramente triturado, e que pode ser servido com ovo que lentamente cozinha no caldo que é serviso a escaldar — Rice soup accompanied by fried pasta, which is one of the traditional dishes consumed in the morning, but which can also be found in some restaurants throughout the day. The base is very similar to noodle soup, made from a vegetable broth, where the rice is placed very cooked and sometimes lightly crushed, and which can be served with an egg that slowly cooks in the broth that is served to scald

Sticky-rice em bambu; esta é a variante com alfafa — Bamboo sticky-rice; this is the alfalfa variant

Although it is not too cold, this time of year is corresponding to winter, and temperatures drop significantly during the night; and how could it be that chestnuts appear to remember winter in Portugal … but these are smaller and steamed!

pad thai, numa variante feita por mim, nos dias que passei na Giant Gouse, em Chiang Mai; esta tem mais legumes para além dos habituais rebentos de soja, e não tem ovo — pad thai, in a variant made by me, in the days I spent at Giant Gouse, in Chiang Mai; this one has more vegetables than the usual soy sprouts and has no egg

tiras de carne a secar ao sol — strips of meat drying in the sun

Bananas, bananas, bananas.... estão por todo o lado, de diversas variedades, e vendidas frescas, verdes, secas, fritas, assadas.... — Bananas, bananas, bananas… they are everywhere, of various varieties, and sold fresh, green, dried, fried, roasted..

Uma das bancas de venda de "papaia salad" no mercado de Sompet, em Chiang Mai — One of the stalls selling “papaya salad” at Sompet market in Chiang Mai

as the end of the day approaches, many stalls that prepare meals or simple snacks start to appear in the streets

rotee… a kind of crepe, but with a very thin dough based on rice flour, which is stuffed with banana and can be drizzled with chocolate or condensed milk; You can also opt for the vegetarian option. Despite the similarities with the French crepe, this snack comes from Malaysia and most of the sellers who are in Thailand, of Muslim origin

Papaia Salad, feita com papaia verde, cortada em tiras finas, juntamente com cenoura e pepino, e que é envolvida num molho picante feito à base de chili, alho e algusn molhos — Papaya Salad, made with green papaya, cut into thin strips, together with carrot and cucumber, which is wrapped in a hot sauce made from chili, garlic, and some sauces

Um dos muitos caris que a dá fama à gastronomia tailandesa, sempre acompanhados de arroz. Podem ser servidos numa espécia de sopa, em taças e que aos poucos se deita sobre o arroz ou nesta versão, menos liquida — One of the many curries that make Thai cuisine famous, always accompanied by rice. They can be served in a kind of soup, in bowls and gradually poured over rice or in this version, less liquid

Sopa de noodles vegetariana — Vegetarian noodle soup

Caril de marisco, vendido nos mercados para ser consumido em casa ou no trabalho, juntamente com o arroz vendido em doses individuais e embrulhado em sacos de plastico — Seafood curry, sold in markets to be eaten at home or at work, along with rice sold in individual doses and wrapped in plastic bags

Gujarat food… vegetarian delights!

Although it is not easy to find in the rest of India and even less so in Indian restaurants in Europe, Gujarat cuisine is famous and a source of pride for its inhabitants. It dominates vegetarian food, more than in other places in India, and egg consumption is rare, with the exception of the Muslim community that remains meat and fish consumer.

The Gujarat food stands out for its sweet flavors that balance the spiciest curries and the strong presence of dairy products, which almost always accompany the meal, whether in the form of curd (yogurt), sweetened milk-based cream and the popular cham (buttermilk) which is the drink that usually accompanies meals, in a state where the dry law rules, that is, the sale and consumption of alcoholic beverages are prohibited.

Like the rest of the country, the chai, tea with milk, is very popular being consumed throughout the day, often serving for breakfast, as a pretext for a break, at the end of a meal or simply a pretext for two fingers of conversation. But the Gujarat chai is stronger, distinguished by its dark color and its intense spice flavor, where the “spicy” of ginger stands out.

Preparation of chai, made in pots placed under very high heat released by kerosene stoves, where the milk is boiled several times with tea, spices and crushed ginger

Dhai Dhokla: a previous dish variant, found only in Bhuj, to which is added yogurt and hot sauce that cuts the sweet taste of yogurt. It was an invigorating way to start the day as soon as we reached the city market.

Dhai wadha: kind of fluffy dumplings, which is served with yogurt and hot sauce, bringing a touch of powdered cumin that matches the sweetness of the yogurt.

a simple but delicious homemade meal prepared in the village of Dhordo in the north of Kutch, in the family home that provided us with a place to sleep, where thick and spicy dahl (stewed with lentils) is accompanied by kachari (beaten rice cooked with vegetables) and fine chapatis that are dipped in softened ghee (clarified butter).

Fafda: stall selling snacks, both sweet and savory, but mostly fried; in the foreground are the gathiya: crispy and spicy fritters made from grain flour

stall selling snacks, both sweet and savory, but mostly fried; in the foreground are the gathiya: crispy and spicy fritters made from grain flour

a kind of katchori but where the filling, instead of lentils, is sweet with a strong spicy aftertaste that gives these fried and crispy dumplings an addictive characteristic ... but only "located" in the city of Mandvi

cane sugar for sale at street markets and stalls

Dhokla: one of the most popular snacks in Gujarat, often eaten by tomorrow; made with flour and turmeric, steamed and seasoned with curry leaves and mustard grains. It can be eaten plain accompanied by fried chili peppers, or drizzled with sugary yogurt.

Kutchhi Dabeli: perhaps the most popular fast food in Gujarat, which by name has its origins in the Kutch area, but which can be found everywhere, in small restaurants and street stalls; it is a small hamburger bread (pav), toasted and stuffed with a potato-based paste seasoned with a mixture of spices called dabeli that gives the mixture an intensely red color. Accompanying the chaas, (buttermilk) a kind of slightly fermented milk, close to yogurt but more liquid.

Fast food restaurant preparing breakfast, often bhajis (fried vegetables wrapped in grain flour) and dhokla with chai

Lassi: drink based on beaten yogurt, with sugar, but which can also be salted. This is a variant with a rose aroma and decorated with dried fruits. Lassi is found throughout India and is usually eaten as a snack

Poha: steamed rice flakes, wrapped and seasoned with a mixture of spices, the saffron that gives color to this snack stands out, often consumed as breakfast; it is served accompanied by a spicy sauce and fried chilies.

Street snacks: a sample of the many options of food that can be found on the streets of the cities of Gujarat, and also all over India, which can serve as breakfast, meal or as a snack between lunch and dinner. A mixture of pakoras (fried based on grain flour and vegetables of which there are many variants) and crunchy lentil dumplings.

Sweets … like most Indian sweets in Gujarat, sugar has a strong and heavy presence; however, the aromas of saffron and cardamom and other spices, many of which are made from milk and ghee (clarified butter that gives a very particular flavour) or using grain flour; sometimes with pistachio, almonds and cashews… burfi, ladoo, gulab, mesu …. the names have been forgotten but there was a delicious memory !!!

Doces... — One of the varieties of burfi!

Food for sale at the stations for breakfast: fried dumplings stuffed with a mixture of vegetables similar to the samosas and served with fried chilies.... good to wake up !!! — Food for sale at the stations for breakfast: fried dumplings stuffed with a mixture of vegetables similar to the samosas and served with fried chilies…. good to wake up !!!

The complete meal, which is called thali, usually composed of rice, vegetable curry and a lentil-based broth (dhal) but in Gujarat gains another refinement and complexity, with a greater variety of curries, vegetables, grain, etc. … some with a sweet taste, others soft and rich in spices, reaching the very spicy.

In the large metallic plate that starts empty, the small bowls are filled with various curries, curd (yogurt) and sweets, reserving space for salty and spicy chutneys, and sometimes pieces of dhokla.

Traditionally, the meal is served with papad (a crispy cracker of grain flour) and accompanied by chapatis (flatbread), always in large quantities; only a portion of rice is served at the end. Throughout the meal several employees pass to refill the plate, bringing more chapatis until “say enough” !!!

The drink served with thali is chaas (buttermilk, made from milk) that can be sweet or salty and seasoned with powdered cumin.

I can say that the food in Gujarat left a yummy and memorable memory… and it’s so easy to be a vegetarian in Gujarat!!

I miss it!!

Moroccan cuisine for vegetarians

A QUICK GUIDE TO A VEGETARIAN DIET IN MOROCCO

Morocco, by its Mediterranean traditions and by the Muslim culture has a meat orientated gastronomy where lamb and chicken are dominant; the exception is the coastal areas where the fish is popular particularly the sardine.

But still, there are several options for vegetarians in the Moroccan traditional cuisine, like the soups, sandwiches and a big choice of bread, which combined with olives, nuts and dry fruits result in a balanced diet for vegetarians.

Many restaurants in the more popular tourist areas already have a vegetarian tagine or couscous, and in the small villages or if you have the chance to eat in a guesthouse for sure that they are available to prepare a vegetarian version of these traditional dishes, as the food is usually prepared daily, and you just need to order with a few hours in advance.

About dairy products, don’t be concerned as they are not common in the traditional Moroccan dishes and in fact it’s very difficult to find cheese (except the processed triangle cheese) despite the many sheep and goats that you can spot a bit everywhere. Yogurts are an exception and you can find homemade yogurts in small groceries shops and well as in dairy shops… yes, in Morocco the commerce is still organized according to the type of product.

Eggs are easy to find as a snack but not as part of a main dish, except in the Moroccan style sandwiches, an underestimate item in the Moroccan gastronomy but that is very common between local population, and I think it’s a mandatory experience for those who appreciate street food!!

cumin and paprika… always present in the Morrocan cuisine

Soups… filling and comfort food

“besara” a thick and consistent soup made from dry fava beans

As a vegetarian, the soups were many times the best option for a meal, as they are widely available, are very cheap and are served along all day… just have in mind that each kind of soup has a specific schedule.

In a local eatery a soup should cost between 6 and 8 Dirham, which many times includes half bread…. if not, just ask for it, as it doesn’t cost more than 1 Dirham.

The besara is a thick and consistent soup made from dry fava beans, which are soaked, cooked and reduced to a pure. It’s served in a big bowl, with a generous topping of olive oil and lots of paprika and cumin, which contrast with the pale brown color of the soup. It’s a classic of the traditional Moroccan breakfast, but sometimes it’s also available in the evening.

“besara” soup seasoned with paprika and served with “harcha” a bread made from semolina

Not so easy to find is the lubia, a white beans soup with a tomato sauce base. It’s not the most appealing option but ate with fresh bread and a few olives can be a feeling meal. I didn’t find any sign or indication of this soup in the eateries where I pass by… it seems that the local population knows where to get it, so the best is ask directly at the counter.

For the evening, the most popular option is the harira, the traditional Moroccan soup made with chickpeas, vegetables and a bit of pasta. This type of soup use traditionally meat stock (I saw using that processed cubes) but it’s also possible to find vegetarian options… if you can communicate a bit in French or Spanish.

As it’s very consistency and rich harira was many times my dinner, working perfectly as comfort food for the cold night of the desert areas.

“harira” soup made with beans, vegetables and pasta with boiled egg as a side dish… a delicious comfort food for winter nights

The eateries that serve harira, as well as besara, don’t have a menu or a sign indication it, but try to spot a pile of empty bowls nearby the counter or simply ask for it.

Bread… so many options to explore

The bread remains as a delicious memory of the Moroccan stay.

Since early morning that you can feel the smell of the freshly baked bread, being available all day, not only in the proper bread shops but also in groceries shops all over the city, in improvised stalls in the medina alleys, in street hawkers pushing hand cars along the markets or directly at the bakeries, where you have the chance to observe the handmade process of making the bread, and having the opportunity to taste the warm bread that has just come out of the oven.

From the rooftops from where you can have a medina view, it’s possible to spot a thick column of black smoke indicating the location of a bakery, often located next to a mosque as well as a public hammam, as these three spots are a kind of institution in the traditional Moroccan lifestyle.

In Morocco, the bread is mandatory at any meals and despite the French colonization that brought the baguette, the traditional Arab flatbread is the most popular, the khobz a classic white bread made from wheat that is present at every meal and in every house. There are few variations of this type of bread with a darker color and more dense texture… just walk around and try the different kinds as the bread change from city to city, and from bakery to bakery!!!

khobz a classic white bread made from wheat that is present at every meal and in every house

But there are many more kinds of bread as the msemen, a flatbread with a square shape, made from layers of dough, that is fried in a pan, gaining a crispy texture on the outside and a bit more chewy on the inside. It can be eaten plain, with olive oil, honey or cheese (always the over-processed-triangle-cheese, as proper cheese is rare in Morocco), many times as snack or as a meal with a soup besara or harira.

There also a “red” variation of msemen, seasoned with a paprika and onion past that make it more tasty and interesting. The msemen is cooked in big trays and sold in portions, by weight… you can just ask for 2 Dirham or any other amount.

“msemen” a flatbread with a square shape, made from layers of dough, that is fried in a pan, gaining a crispy texture on the outside and a bit more chewy on the inside

“msemen”… red if seasoned with paprika and plain

But I was totally surrendered to the harcha, made from semolina and cooked in a flat metal surface heated by gas, resulting in crispy texture, dense inside and with slightly sweet and salty flavor. Usually it’s not available at bakeries but can be found at the same shops or stall that sell msemen, and it’s easy to spot by its yellow color and by the perfect circular shape, that many times is cooked in a big size disk shape (more than 50 cm), that is sold in portions, by weight.

Many times I saw old men in teashops eating it during the day with a tea, but can also be eaten as a side of a besara or harira soup for breakfast or evening meal. But I found it so delicious that I was eating harcha just plain as a snack, with some olives and nuts.

“harcha” a flat bread made from semolina that is eaten with a soup or simply with a tea at the breakfast

It’s not unusual to see ladies or kids carrying trays cover in with a cloth in the streets of the medina, on the way to the community ovens where the homemade bread can still be baked, keeping the Moroccan traditional where each family made their own bread, attesting the importance of the bread in the family and social life in Morocco.

Sandwiches… also an option for a vegetarian diet

The traditional Moroccan sandwiches are also a good option for vegetarians, being widely available in medina streets and markets.

These sandwiches basically consist in half of a flatbread stuffed with egg, boiled potato, meat, grill vegetables (sometimes also deep fry), seasoned with olive oil and a lot of cumin. You can choose the ingredients from a window that usually face the street, where usually there’s a lot of grill vegetables, like pepper and aubergine, add a bit of fresh tomato salad, egg and potato… yes, it’s strange potato inside bread, but this combination that is chopped and mix inside the bread end up revealing a very tasty meal!

For a vegetarian sandwich, with boiled egg, I pay 15 Dirham.

Moroccan sandwich… a snack that suits vegetarian diet

Traditional Moroccan breakfast: soup, bread and eggs

Tea and coffee… a strong flavor whatever the choice

We can say that tea is the national Moroccan drink, a strong green tea, seasoned with mint and served with big chunks of sugar. It’s not just about drinking tea… is about how to prepare it, dipping the mint leaves into the freshly boiled tea, adding the sugar cubes, and after a pause, pour the steaming contents of the teapot into the small glass cups. The technique lies in the skill of pouring the tea into the cups by placing the teapot at a certain high, in a way to create bubbles on the tea surface, producing a characteristic sound that you can’t miss if you hang out in a Moroccan tea shop. From the cups, the tea returns to the teapot and this process is repeated several times until the mixture reaches a mysterious point that only those initiated in this technique know.

We can say that Moroccan’s have a sweet tooth, and if the tea comes already in cups it probably will be already with sugar… a lot of sugar. If you have the chance to communicate with the staff it’s better to order the teapot and then you add the mint and sugar to your taste. The tea is always made with green tea, very intense especially the last cup, where the leaves left on the bottom of the teapot release the typical astringent taste of the over boiled tea.

Moroccan tea: strong green tea with mint leafs

Despite the tea being the most popular drink, the coffee is also widespread and it’s not difficult to find an espresso… but be prepared as the coffee in Morocco is very strong, not just in terms of taste, being very bitter, not just in terms of caffeine, giving you a strong kick that last all day 😉

Tagines… where are the spices?!?!

Tagine is the Moroccan national dish without doubt, not only in the tourist menus but also present in daily Moroccan meals, being a good option for vegetarians as it’s available everywhere. In small villages maybe it’s not so easy to find, but if the restaurant doesn’t have a vegetarian tagine ready just ask them to prepare one version of this dish without meat or fish. Yes, despite the dominance of meat in the Moroccan diet, nearby the cost it’s easy to find sardine tagine.

The couscous is very popular too, and you can also find vegetable couscous, but for the local population is just a Friday meal, eaten after the visit to the mosque.

But after seeing so many spices shops, with piles of cumin, paprika, nutmeg, cinnamon, pepper, ginger, curcuma, saffron… I felt a bit disappointed with the soft taste of the tagines and couscous, at least the vegetable ones, where the flavours of the ingredients are present but where something was missing to give a bit of life to this stew. After a the tagines that I try in restaurants as also a few homemade versions, I just got a bit bored and question myself if they make the tagine tasteless to suit the western taste or if it’s just like that!

Yogurt and smoothies… fresh and homemade

In Morocco, it’s easy to homemade yogurts in juice and smoothies shops and well as in dairy shops, for about and it costs about 2 Dirham. The taste and consistency change from shop to shop, but they all have a bit of sugar… sometimes a lot of sugar!!!

The juice shops are a popular choice between the local for an afternoon break and in Marrakesh main square there’s a lot of this stalls, but I confess that I found these guys a bit push and never try there. I had a tasty avocado smoothie in Tinghir in a small shop that was also selling homemade yogurt. These shops offer a big choice of fruits, and you can make the combinations that you want… but watch out that the smoothies are made with milk.

During the months of October and November, it’s the pomegranate season, and in medina streets and markets, it’s easy to find these street hawkers that make the juice at the moment. They are very sweet and tasty… I think the pomegranates that I try in Morocco where the best that I ever try!!!

Sweets… sugary and delicious

Sugar, honey, nuts and puff pastry… these are the magical words that make sweets a landmark in Moroccan gastronomy.

It’s also present the French influence with more sophisticated cakes with cream that in Morocco gain a colorful version. The mille-feuille are very popular and are sold in bakeries as also in groceries shops, a bit rough version of the French cake but worth the 2 Dirham if you are in a sugar mood!

Meknes and Fes where the best places to explore the endless variations of the traditional Moroccan sweets, many of them made with puff pastry, stuffed with nuts and soaked in a sweet syrup: if they attract bees, probably they are made with honey… otherwise, if it’s just a sugar syrup the flies take over 😉

Moroccan sweets made with puff pastry, honey and dry fruits

Nuts and dry fruits… well come to the paradise

Always present in Moroccan diet are the nuts and the dry fruits, with the dates being the dominant product, being Morocco a big producer (and a huge consumer!!!) despite this, the top quality dates are sometimes imported from Tunisia or Middle East countries. And nuts and dry fruits are a good and healthy choice to carry around while traveling and suit a vegetarian diet.

The souks have specialized shops where you can find a big diversity for different prices according to the quality… you can always ask to try before you make the choice. The markets are also a good place to buy dry fruits, and in some cities there even a specific street or area dedicate to dry fruits and nuts, where the dates stand up, showing the importance of this products in the Moroccan daily diet.

Street-food… tasty and oily

Morocco is a good place for street food, being a cheap choice with several vegetarian options.

In the medina souks, there are shops specialized in snacks, some sweet others salty seasoned with herbs and spices, which are good entertainment for long bus trips. The products are displayed in large spreads on a bench at the entrance of the store, from where the seller skillfully takes with a long spoon.

For those who like deep fry stuff, the Morrocan doughnuts are a mandatory experience, being freshly made in the morning in some local coffee shops… they are good with a besara soup or just with a tea, but be prepared for an oily experience!

The Medfouna a.k.a. berber pizza is a flatbread filled with vegetables and spices, fry in a metal flat surface, popular in the south nearby the desert areas. I try it in Ouarzazate in a street market in the evening time and really enjoy the crunchiness of the dough with the intensity of the spices that season the vegetables filling… I couldn’t avoid a second round!

“medfouna” a.k.a. Berber pizza… a flat bread stuffed with chopped vegetables and seasoned with cumin… a bit oily but yummy. It was impossible to avoid a second dose

Markets… a colorful experience

As a result of different altitudes and climates, Morocco offers a wide range of fruits. The autumn brings the apples, oranges and the pomegranates pop up as also the cactus figs coming from the more desert areas. But as traditional in Mediterranean climate the olives are a landmark in Moroccan cuisine and can be found in a wide range of types as also seasoned with paprika, chili, lemon or spices.

But the markets offer a wide range of choice in terms of fruits and vegetables and everything looks fresh and attractive, filling up the streets with colors and smells, changing according to the season and to the climate of each region.

Food in China… so much choice!

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This is a difficult subject to address given the gastronomic diversity of China and the short visit to the provinces of Sichuan and Yunnan provide good examples, so it is difficult to choose a traditional dish or a typical meal that is homogeneously found in all places.

However, in the visited areas, restaurants can easily be found where the common denominator is the existence of a fridge where the available food is exposed, from vegetables, meat, mushrooms, tofu, eggs… and from where the customer can chooses the desired combinations, which are cook in a few minutes. The dishes the come to the table are always shared among the group of friends or family, gathered around the table, being polite to remove one piece of food at a time and put it in the bowl, from where, after mixing with a piece of rice it’s eaten. At the end of the meal, it is respectful to leave some food on the plates, a sign of the abundance of food.

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Contrary to what is common in Southasian countries, in China it’s unusual to find “street-food”. The most popular and economical option is the small family restaurants, informal and open to the street, where the kitchen is located at the entrance of the restaurant advertising the menu. The most common in these eateries is the noodles soup with all the possible meat variations: pork, beef, chicken, intestines and other internal organs… ghrrr!

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In fact, China is not an easy country for vegetarians, and the concept itself is a kind of unknown is more remote areas, even among the Buddhist and the Tibetan communities. Although, vegetables are a constant presence in Chinese meals that are compost by several dishes where meat is an almost mandatory presence. 

The tofu, as a Chinese intention, is easy to find both in restaurants menus as in snack stall, as it is part of traditional food the tofu isn't seen as a vegetable alternative as in western countries. Mushrooms are also very common and can be a good choice for vegetarian dishes.

However, some traditional Chinese dishes are practically impossible to find without meat, fish or seafood, as is the case with dumplings, steamed buns and the dim sun.
But rice and noodles dishes, stir-fry or in soups, are good alternatives for vegetarians as far as you can order them without animal meat... the communication is always the big issue!!!

The good thing for vegans is that dairy is almost 100% excluded from the traditional Chinese cuisine, and things like cheese and milk are rare. On the other hand, soy milk is very popular and is part of the traditional Chinese food, particularly a the breakfast.

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In Sichuan, famous for its aromatic pepper, the gastronomy stands out for the spicy taste present in almost all dishes, from soups, stir fry or grill. The ingredients, usually vegetables and meat, often cook in a thick of spicy gravy, come wrapped in oil, but with a delicious and aromatic!

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In areas closer to the Tibet Autonomous Region you can find some of the typical Tibetan dishes, although the number of restaurants serving them is small compared to the overwhelming presence of Chinese food restaurants. It stands out the traditional tupka, a soup of vegetables or meat, in a thick broth and with barley pasta cut roughly in pieces. The dumplings that in the Tibetan version are called momos, are also traditional in this area and can be found as a morning meal.

Traditionally from the cold Tibetan areas is butter tea that accompanies meals. The salty butter’s taste stands out in this drink, which as it cools creates a thin layer of fat at the surface.

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Refeição típica chinesa, em que dois ou mais pratos acompanham uma tijela de arroz. Sempre presente está o chá que muitas vezes é disponibilizado gratuitamente — Typical Chinese meal where two or more dishes are eaten with steam rice. The tea is the most common drink and many time is served for free at the restaurants.

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Sopa à base de noodles sobre os quais é despejado um caldo e são acrescentados legumes ou carne, assim como condimentos salgados ou picantes, de acordo com o gosto de cada pessoa — noodles soup

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Legumes no mercado de Dali — Dali Market

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Raiz de lótus, à venda no mercado de Dalí, muito popular na gastronomia chinesa — Lótus root, at Dalí market

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ovos sujeitos a um prolongado processo de fermentação tornando a clara transparente e que lhes confere um gosto muito particular cuja intensidade os torna repulsivos para certos paladares — fermented eggs with a funny smell and taste… that doesn’t suite everyone

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sopa fria de noodles: encontra-se por vezes ao fim da tarde nas ruas das cidades de Yunnam, onde pequenas banca oferecem um diversidade de noodles, tanto em forma, cor e sabor, que são condimentados com um molho picante, algumas ervas frescas, cebolinho e amendoim ralado — Cold noodles soup: easy to find in the end of the day in the street of Yunnan cities, seasoned with spicy sauce, fresh h and grind peanuts

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OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA — Amazing dinner prepared by my two travel mates. The food is an serious issue in China, and is always prepared with fresh ingredients brought everyday in the markets

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dumplings feitos de massa de arroz, geralmente recheados de carne, e cozinhados ao vapor. São uma das mais populares opções par ao pequeno almoço, com os restaurantes fazendo-se anunciar pelas grandes panelas metálicas constituídas por diversos tabuleiros, de onde sai um intenso vapor que se espalha pelas ruas; são acompanhados por um molho picante e por vezes com um caldo feito à base de arroz cozido, simples e praticamente sem sal — dumplings made with rice dough, usually fill with meat and steamed, are the most popular option for the breakfast. the eateries that serve the dumplings are easily spotted by the big metal pans that stand outside the front door

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outra opção de pequeno almoço, com uma sopa de noodles de sabor acre e ácido, acompanhada de ovo cozido e de pão frito, de massa semelhante às “farturas” mas de sabor salgado — another option for the breakfast are the noodles soup with a sour taste, served with egg and fry bread

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panelas para cozinhas dumplings ao vapor e o pão frito em forma de longos palitos, que se pode também encontrar no Laos e na Tailândia como acompanhamento da primeira refeição da manhã — dumplings pan and the fry bread that is also traditional in Thailand and Laos

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Cozinha de um restaurante na China — Kitchen from a restaurant in China

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noodles frescos à venda no mercado de Chengdu — fresh noodles at Chengdu market

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dumplings de vegetais acompanhando um "sumo" feito de arroz muito cozido ligeiramente adocicado e que constitui uma das populares opções para acompanhamento do pequeno-almoço a par com o leite de soja — vegetarian dumplings for breakfast and a drink made with soy milk

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cabeças de pato e pescoços de galinha, grelhados e condimentados: popular como snack entre refeições — duck heads and chicken necks can be a snack between meals

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Um dos pratos pelo qual a gastronomia de Sishuan é muito popular em que num caldo espesso e oleoso, condimentado com especiarias e pimenta, são cozinhados vegetais, cogumelos e algas, com ou sem carne, decorado com cebolinho e sementes de sésamo, e que é acompanhado de arroz — One of the most popular Sichuan dishes, a thick and oily gravy, seasoned with spices and pepper, where meat, mushrooms or vegetables are cooked

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O tofu encontra-se presente em muitos restaurantes, sendo contudo mais fácil de encontrar nas grandes cidades — The tofu is easy to find in China, and is a good alternative to vegetarians in a gastronomy where the meat is a constant presence

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restaurante junto à estação de comboios de Chengdu que dispõem de tofu confecionado localmente e onde os dumplins são cozinhados nos tradicionais recipientes de bambu — eatery in Chengdu with tofu and dumplings cooked in the traditional bambu baskets

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pão feito de massa de arroz e cozido ao vapor, muito popular nas zonas regiões tibetanas, e que pode ser simples ou recheado de legumes, carne (quase sempre porco), cogumelos ou à base de feijão azuki que lhe confere um sabor ligeiramente doce — steamed bread, popular in tibetan areas, that can be plain or filled with meat, vegetables or with Azuki beans that give a touch of sweetness

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queijo à base de leite de yak, e que no caso de ser fumado adquire um tom acastanhado; apesar do aspecto tosco a este queijo tem uma forte consistência apresentando-se compacto e “borachoso” ao mastigar — cheese made with yak milk

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Hot-pot, muito popular em vários países asiáticos, mas com diferentes cambiantes em relação aos ingredientes, mas reservada para dias festivos ou jantares de fim de semana, em que um caldo é mantido quente com ajuda de carvão ou de um dispositivo elétrico ou a gás, colocado na mesa, e onde os comensais vão mergulhado os diverso ingredientes. Na região do Tibete, este prato é constituído por legumes, cogumelos, algas e algumas tiras de carne que vêm já misturadas com o caldo. — Hot-pot, reserved for special day and family gatherings. Different ingredients are cooked in a stock that is kept war at the table.

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Tupka tibetana — Tupka, tibetan traditional soup that can be made vegetarian

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uma sopa à base de dumplins recheados de legumes na região de Sertar, mais ligada à gastronomia do Tibete... deliciosa para aquecer o corpo e o espírito nos frias noites do planalto tibetano — dumplings soup in Sertar region, a warmer Tibetan version adjust to the colt temperatures

Nasi Campur… so simple and so delicious!!

In the Indonesian language “nasi” means rice and “campur” means mixture, and nasi campur is basically a dish that mix steamed rice with other dishes: meat, fish, vegetables or egg, seasoned with sambal (see below).

In Java, the nasi campur is usually served with a portion of fried noodles, a style that hardly be found in other Indonesian Islands, which probably is an old influence from Chinese gastronomy, as also the tofu that is a regular presence in the Javanese cuisine.

In a certain way, nasi campur (pronounce as “champoor”) is quite similar to what can be found in Sumatra Island, called nasi kapau or nasi padang, but with different ingredientes and recipes, with the Javanese food being cooked with less gravy, less spicy and more sweetness than the neighbouring island. The presence of noodles, tofu and tempeh also makes a difference from this rice dish served in Java and in other islands.

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Thanks to the usual presence of vegetables (sayur in Indonesian language) like green beans, papaya and cassava leaf, bean sprouts, cabbage, spinach and other green leaf vegetables… the Indonesian cuisine, despite not being vegetarian (not even in Bali that is an island dominated by Hinduism) has a lot of options for vegetarians. And the frequent presence of tofu and tempeh especially in Java, Bali and Lombok create a wider range of options, even for the ones that want to avoid eggs.

But watch out if you are a “purist” about vegetarianism as there are a few animal products hidden in some of the Indonesian dishes, like the shrimp past that is used in the sambal… some super-small fishes mix in tempeh and vegetable dishes… and also in some crackers served with gado-gado and other salads that are flavoured with peanuts or shrimp past.

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the most popular places to eat the "nasi campur" are small informal eateries that are easily identify by the window where the food is exposed in tray os plates... the noodles are an influence of the Chinese gastronomy but the "tempeh" is a traditional Indonesian food made from fermented soy beans, which can be cooked in different ways — the most popular places to eat the “nasi campur” are small informal eateries that are easily identify by the window where the food is exposed in tray os plates… the noodles are an influence of the Chinese gastronomy but the “tempeh” is a traditional Indonesian food made from fermented soy beans, which can be cooked in different ways

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Something about tempeh…

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But the Javanese cuisine as something unique to offer: the tempeh!! Tempeh is made from fermented soybean, that gets aggregated forming a soft but compressed block, sometimes warped in banana leaf, which is sold fresh in local markets all over Java but that can also be found in nearby islands of Sumatra, Bali and Lombok.

Due to its compact consistency, the tempeh can be cut in slices or chopped in small pieces. Unlike most of the soy products, the tempeh isn’t an influence from China, but an Indonesian product that is present almost in every restaurant that serves rice dishes.

Is difficult to identify the taste of the tempeh as it isn’t something that stands up in a dish despite being a fermented product, but it can be described as something between beans and mushrooms, resulting from the fermentation of the soybeans that creates a thin layer of mould. It has a heavy and thick consistency but smooth on the month, giving a feeling sensation in the stomach.

The same way as the tofu, the tempeh can be simply deep-fried (goreng) or simply fried in a pan, but can also be cooked with fry peanuts in a sweet and red sauce made from spices and sugar… that is one on the reason why the Javanese food is famous for the sweetness.

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The tempeh is usually sold in blocks that can be cut in slices or chopped in small pieces.. according to the time of the fermentation the tempeh may look different and have distinctive smells

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fry tempeh... one of the most popular way to cook the tempeh — fry tempeh… one of the most popular way to cook the tempeh… delicious and crunchy

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Sambal?!?!

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Sambal (don’t mistake with “sambol” a Sri Lankan dish made from coconut) is a spicy condiment made from chilies, usually with a bright red colour but that can also be found in green. The sambal is a must in any nasi campur plate and gives a special touch to any meal. Sometimes a meal can just be some fried tempeh seasoned with sambal and served with a portion of steamed rice!

The sambals in Indonesia are hot but not extremely spicy and the recipe also includes tomato, garlic, shrimp paste and lime juice… but can have more other ingredients, with each restaurant having its own recipe.

The Indonesian sambal change from island to island, from market to market, from restaurant to restaurant… but are a mandatory presence at any rice dish served in Indonesia.

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Where to eat nasi campur?

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Basically, you can find nasi campur everywhere! It is served in a la carte restaurants, in informal eateries where the food is exposed in trays at the window, in a improvised stall set up in front of a house, in a hidden back street kiosk or inside the markets in a kind of food courts. The nasi campur can also be found in street hawkers that usually hang around the food markets, caring a basket loaded with the familiar paper cones that wraps the food.

Early morning is the best time to find this informal way to eat the nasi campur, as many housewives set up a table on the street selling food, most of the times for take-away by people on the way to the work, but where is always possible to ask for a plate and seat on the side walk, interacting with other customers and enjoying the movement of the street.

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small eateries that are a bit everywhere in Indonesia that serve nasi campur, where the take away sytem is very popular, with the food wraped in paper sheets forming a cone — small eateries that are a bit everywhere in Indonesia that serve nasi campur, where the take away sytem is very popular, with the food wrapped in paper sheets forming a cone

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Nasi campur can also be found in improvised food stall that pop up in the mornings along the streets

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nasi campur for take away: rice, fry noodles, sweet fry tempeh

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Despite the fried rice being the dish easiest to find in Indonesia, mostly due to the easy and quick way to prepare, the nasi campur can be considered the most popular Indonesian food staples, including here all the variations resulting from the different cultures, traditions and climates that characterise this huge country!

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Yogurt and smoothies… fresh and homemade

Sweets… sugary and delicious

Nuts and dry fruits… well come to the paradise

Street-food… tasty and oily

Markets… a colorful experience

Food in China… so much choice!

Nasi Campur… so simple and so delicious!!

Something about tempeh…

Sambal?!?!

Where to eat nasi campur?

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Soups… filling and comfort food

Bread… so many options to explore

Sandwiches… also an option for a vegetarian diet

Tea and coffee… a strong flavor whatever the choice

Tagines… where are the spices?!?!

Yogurt and smoothies… fresh and homemade

Sweets… sugary and delicious

Nuts and dry fruits… well come to the paradise

Street-food… tasty and oily

Markets… a colorful experience

Something about tempeh…

Sambal?!?!

Where to eat nasi campur?

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