vegetarian cooking

Rabbit food. That's what my dad calls vegetarian cooking and cuisine. ¿Salads and vegetables - can not be anything more than that, is there? Ah, but there. Vegetarian food is at least as varied as cooking 'regular' - and in some cases, much more imaginative.

Almost thirty years ago, Diet for a Small Planet and follow recipes, recipes for a Small Planet hit the bookstore shelves with a resounding blow that still resonates. While many of the theories of protein complementarily Frances Moore Lappe presented have been proven to be naïve by further research, the basic theories of eating and the wonderful meat - and truly vegetarian - recipes endure. Moosewood book and the enchanted forest of broccoli followed, and then an avalanche of cookbooks devoted to the vegetarian gourmet.

Vegetarian cooking is more than just 'meat'. It is an art that combines flavors and textures in just the right combinations to create masterpieces that are as appealing to carnivores as to those who have avoided meat. For Hindi chefs who practice Ayurvedic cooking, food is more than nutrition - it is a meditation, a gateway to higher consciousness. There are three major components and six tastes (sweet, salty, sour, bitter, pungent and astringent) to be considered in the preparation of each dish, and food prepared according to Ayurveda is a feast for the eyes, nose, mouth and the mind.

The best vegetarian food is no 'meat' versions of dish that usually has meat in it. Lasagna 'Meat' suggests that something is missing in the recipe. Who has dined on spinach lasagna knows that there is nothing lost - the mixture of cream cheese and spinach and spices is perfect in itself. Polenta with spicy black bean sauce has no need of meat to make it more complete - well it melts on the tongue and at the same time sticks to the ribs.

Even within the general framework of 'vegetarian cuisine' there are variations. Outside Western culture, most meals have little or no meat at all - so it is not surprising to find vegetarian cuisine in India and China, neither in Russian cooking and African regional cuisine. Many base main dish meals on legumes and nuts. Peanut and cashew soups, humus with spices and lemon sauces fermented black beans served with bread and pasta and rice and couscous - Middle East and Africa kitchen offers all these and more.

If one approaches vegetarian cuisine as a substitute for cooking with meat, one is sure to be disappointed. It is a way of eating and cooking, spices and combinations that can be as light and fluffy as a meringue or dense and smooth as the best seven grain bread. If you've never tried a real vegetarian meal - as opposed to a 'meat' or 'meat substitute' - the best place to start is in the eastern Indian restaurant or nearest center. You will be amazed at the flavors and textures - and do not even realize that there is no meat.