Asian Vegetarian Cooking

Introduction

Within the past generation, Asian cooking has become wildly popular. The exciting combinations of textures and flavors make the dishes a wonderful choice for people who are looking for a change.

This course focuses on vegetarian cooking in the Philippines, Malaysia, North India, and South India. Vegetarianism in India can be traced back to the late Vedic period of 1000 B.C. when meat eating was regarded as an offense against ancestors. While many Indians avoid meat for religious reasons, most other Asians still consume flesh. Fortunately, dishes from these countries are easily accommodated to vegetarian preferences.

The Philippines
The Philippines is an archipelago of some 7,100 islands. The sea has been a principal source of sustenance for Filipinos. It has also brought the peoples who have changed the diet of the natives. Filipino cuisine is a mix of indigenous, Chinese, and Spanish influences. Each region, such as Cebu or Mindinao, has a slightly different cooking style as well. The sour flavors beloved by indigenous Filipinos are often mixed with the noodles brought by the Chinese in a meal that is concluded with a sweet something reflective of the Spanish dessert repertoire.

Malaysia
Despite over a century of British occupation, the Malaysians never adopted British cooking techniques. Boiled and broiled dishes are unheard of, but the Malaysians do use Chinese-inspired textures and Indian spices. As the northern part of Malaysia borders with Thailand, a definite Thai flavor can be detected in the use of lemongrass, coriander, and galangal.

North India
The Muslim invaders who swept down through the Khyber Pass in the eighth century brought a lavish cuisine that separates North Indian cooking from the styles of other regions of the subcontinent. Cinnamon, cumin, nutmeg, and cardamom flavor their foods. About 400 years ago, Hindus left the Vale of Kashmir, on the Chinese border, to join the Muslims in North India. The Hindu Kashmiris eat everything except onions and garlic in the belief that the strong, lingering taste heats the blood and encourages unbridled passion.

South India
Strict Hindu vegetarians dominate South India. Eggs are not permitted in most dishes because of the possibility that they might contain embryonic life. Lentils are the major source of protein and they are flavored with the fabled spices of the Indies that prompted Columbus to set sail in 1492. Coconut, an ingredient missing in North Indian foods, is another absolute essential.

This course is for anyone looking to expand their culinary horizon, vegetarian or not. You'll learn a little history, a lot about these cuisines, and you'll try some great recipes.

Lessons

Click here to see course syllabus