Ordering Indian food
Posted by VegRunSki on Jan 04, 2011 · Member since Jan 2010 · 193 posts
What have your experiences been ordering vegan Indian food? Any particular dishes that are less likely to be made with ghee? Any success stories?
There is an awesome Indian place that I don't go to very regularly, but it would be so sad if I couldn't eat there now that I'm eating vegan... I'll have to give them a call sometime before we need to get take-out. :) I also want to cook some Indian foods at home, but sometimes take-out is necessary!
Chana Masala-Spicy chick peas with spinach
Choley - Chick pea curry
Dal-Yellow lentils simmered in vegetable broth and spices
Samosa-Crispy pastry triangles stuffed with potatoes
Roti-I order this flatbread, since most places serve a non-vegan naan.
If you've been there before, and if they are your actual people from India/Pakistan, it's worth dropping by in person and talking to them. A lot of Indian people are veg*n so they get it and respect it. Leave them your card if you have one, marked VEGAN: No milk or animal products please! and then when you call you can say, "This is so-and-so, you have my card, I'm vegan, remember?"
The guys at my place know what vegan is, and will tell you what exactly is vegan that day. They also know I'll let my daughter cheat and the bring her a tiny mango lassi every time. But, yeah, YG is right. They prob. know what vegan is, just ask. When we went to NY we went to an indian restaurant that had a whole vegan section on the menu. It was awesome!
I'm so lucky that the Indian restaurant I frequent actually has the word "vegan" beside which dishes are vegan. One of the owners is American. When I was in India veganism was easy because the guide ordered for me, but they didn't understand it and thought it extremely odd.
Be careful when you order from an Indian because to many of them "strict vegetarian" menas ovo-lacto...but if they are Americanized they might know better.
Where I am, it will list vegetarian or vegan choices but they can always special order for you ahead of time if you call them first.