Chapatis (India)

Named Unleavened Whole Wheat Bread in english. Served warm and fresh, chapatis complement a spicy curry and a cool yogurt dip.They are also delicious with rice and bean dishes.

Ingredients:

• 2 1/2 c. whole wheat flour
• 2 tbsp. butter or margarine
• 1 tsp. salt
• 1 c. lukewarm water

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Vegetarian: Breads and Staples

What diners think of as breads and staples varies tremendously from country to country. Plump, crusty loaves of bread are familiar sights on tables in North America and Europe. Most Indian breads, on the other hand, have no leavening agent like yeast, so they do not rise when they are cooked. Chapati, the most popular kind of Indian bread, is a flat, pancake-shaped bread that looks something like a Mexican tortilla. Like tortillas, chapati are cooked on a very hot, ungreased griddle. Chapati are also eaten in the African countries of Kenya, Tanzania, and Uganda, but there they are usually fried in oil. Rice is the primary staple in most Asian countries, and many families eat steaming hot rice with every meal, while wheat breads are less common. Rice is also a common dish in South America, the Caribbean, and Africa.

Both chapatis and rye bread are sure to make any meal complete.

Planning Vegetarian Menu

Planning a meatless menu offers great flexibility. Vegetarian meals may have a main entrée, or they may consist of two or three courses of equal importance. A vegetarian cook can serve a light meal of soup, bread, and salad, or for a heartier meal, a casserole or a pasta dish. Different combinations of flavors and textures provide variety, adding zest and contrast to any meal.

When planning your own menus, you may want to consider the seasons of the year. Serve a hot, thick soup on a cold winter night and perhaps a chilled fruit soup on a warm summer evening. Although imported produce may be available at all times of the year from almost any place in the world, certain fruits and vegetables are fresher and easier to find when they are at their peak. For example, crisp spears of asparagus appear in most markets in the spring, while summer brings sweet corn and bright red tomatoes. As a cook, you’ll learn to enjoy taking advantage of fresh seasonal foods.

Adding an international flair to vegetarian meals offers a whole new world of flavors. The recipes in this book are a sampling from around the globe, representing more than a dozen countries, so step into the kitchen and explore some of the world’s culinary treasures.

Vegetarian Menus on Holidays and Festivals

Cultures around the world celebrate special occasions with special foods. Sharing a holiday or festival meal with friends and family is a tradition shared by people of all backgrounds, beliefs, and lifestyles. Many holiday meals can be simply adapted to a vegetarian diet, while other traditional feasts and festivities focus on foods or dishes that are vegetarian to begin with. No matter what the event, the vegetarian diner can easily celebrate with a sumptuous meal.

Many Jewish holidays feature vegetarian dishes. Some of these foods symbolize events in Jewish history. For example, Passover cake is made with matzo, a flat, unleavened bread representing the hardships endured by Hebrews in ancient Egypt and the last meal Hebrew families shared before they fled from Egypt to escape slavery. Kosher dining—eating according to rules stated in religious documents—also influences Jewish holiday foods. One rule forbids eating meat and milk together, which can result in meals that are meatless but rich in dairy products. Shavuot, the holiday in remembrance of the Biblical figure Moses receiving the Torah (a holy book of the Jewish faith), is celebrated with a variety of dairy foods, while meat and fish are avoided. A popular dish at this celebration is blintzes—thin pancakes filled with cottage cheese or farmers’ cheese. Read more

Vegetarian Cooking

Vegetarian cooking is nothing new. People in many cultures have enjoyed vegetarian or mostly vegetarian meals for generations. However, vegetarianism is growing in popularity. In modern times, more and more people around the world are recognizing the health benefits of omitting or reducing meat in their diets. An increasing number of tasty, healthy alternatives to meat, such as tofu, tempeh, seitan, and a variety of veggie burgers and veggie dogs, are available in supermarkets and groceries. Many cooks and diners enjoy exploring and discovering foods from other nations, some of which use little or no meat. All of these factors have led to a new approach to vegetarian dining. By making good use of a wide range of ingredients, creative seasoning, varied cooking techniques, and recipes from international cuisines, modern cooks are finding that vegetarian cooking offers a wealth of dishes that are versatile and delicious. Read more