EPSIODE 4 - BEST MEAT ALTERNATIVES

 

This being the Shravan season perhaps quite a few of you are eating vegetarian for a month. This inevitably means you’ll crave meat at times.  Now the best way to turn vegetarian is if you don’t crave meat at all. You don’t crave the ‘meatiness’, the thick ‘chewiness’ nor the most important ‘juiciness’ of meat at all.

But let’s be real here. If you are a recovering vegetarian or are not in a position to eat meat at times due to cultural or spiritual reasons, then you are obviously craving meat at times…or something meat like. And that’s perfectly normal. Don’t let anyone fool you by saying –‘Why do you want a meat alternative? Ideally …’. Here’s a good tip in general- train your mind to turn itself off when you hear the word – ‘ideally’. It’s the most unrealistic, unhelpful world ever. Ideally we wouldn’t even need food to exist. Ideally we would just be realized spirits existing only as energy not even needing to take any physical human form. Ideally the world would be ideal. So forget ideally. (I wanted to use a different F-word here).

In the real world, no average person has the resolve of a Sage or a Yogi. (Unless of course you are a yogi). So, you will crave things occasionally. Now dealing with those cravings in a sustainable manner is what is to be figured out. So as a recovering vegetarian or someone who just wants to experiment with different choices, here are MY 4 personal favourite meat alternatives. Stress on the MY… because these are completely subjective. Also, the alternatives have been ranked based on their closeness to meat, their versatlity and also their availability –

Honourable exceptions – In case you have never heard of it, there is a traditional Chinese meat substitute called ‘Seitan’….(not to be confused with Shaitan or the Devil). It’s made from washing wheat dough many times to get this stretchy chewy texture. I have personally never had it and although you can make it at home, I haven’t yet gotten around to it. I have heard its pretty close to Chicken or Bacon depending on how you cook it. But currently am in no position to comment on it.

 

Without further ado, here’s the list :

4. Paneer

 

Am sorry but your best just ain't good enough

 

 

Availablity	5/5
Versatility	3/5
Meatiness	2/5

 

I know I have bitched a lot about Paneer in one of my previous articles. (Click here to read). But having said that, based on sheer availability Paneer is a good alternative to meat. It can be smoked and used in tikkas/kababs. It can also be made into a steak or a good burger patty. In fact, other than potato based patties, it is the second most popularly used burger patty ingredient. It is also very protein rich and can be used creatively. I personally don’t like paneer-based gravies because frankly its texture is not really close to any meat. However, it is easily available, quite chewy and juicy. It’s good for certain snack like dishes.

 

3. Soya

 

 

Availablity	4/5
Versatility	4/5
Meatiness	4.5/5

 

Majority of meat alternatives are Soya based. It has been consumed widely in China, Japan and Korea for centuries. Its derivatives like Soy Milk, Tofu, Tempeh etc. are widely used in vegan diets. Soya has many nutritional benefits as well. It does have a very complex and interesting history in India. (Read it here)

Somehow Indian vegetarianism hasn’t warmed up to soya traditionally. Though it should’ve made a perfect candidate owing to its nutrition and variety of uses. Although Soya Chaap (chops or kebabs) have become a popular street food in Delhi and Punjab. Soya chunks are easily available in any major town. Soya burgers are a good alternative to meat based ones and quite a few restaurants are starting to put it on their menu.

Soya is definitely more chewy and juicier than Paneer. But once you compare it to actual meat, most of the soya I have had till now feels…hollow. To use words from Douglas Adams’ Hitchhiker’s guide to the galaxy, it tastes ‘almost entirely but not exactly’ like Chicken. Of course, it’s not fair to compare it directly…but Soya sometimes feels like a tease. It gets so close to the actual texture, that your mind starts expecting the same bite as meat but which it obviously doesn’t have. That’s the only reason it ranks a bit lower on my list. However, it is by far the best and most easily available meat alternative in India that I have had.

 

2. Mushrooms

 

 

Its very easy to cook at home and makes for the best chakna

Availablity	5/5
Versatility	5/5
Meatiness	4/5

 

Mushrooms just like Soya have this weird taboo attached to them. Traditionally since fungi were seen to grow in…filth…Mushrooms were never a part of mainstream traditional Indian cooking. Though it has been consumed by tribes and people in coastal and hilly regions for centuries. They would have to venture to out to forage them from the forest. Many traditional vegetarians either find mushrooms to be… well ‘dirty’ or too meat like and not part of plant kingdom. (Hence not vegetarian).

Mushrooms though are now grown in farms and not in muddy wastelands and are available even at your local Bhaajiwala. Mostly you’ll only find white button mushrooms readily available. However, most of India is warming up to mushrooms and you’ll certainly find varieties like Portobello or Shitake available in fine dine restaurants.

Mushrooms in my opinion have this proper umami taste and chewy texture. If used properly it can serve as substitute for both meat (A well-made mushroom biryani kicks ass) and also sea food. (A mushroom soup has that natural rich saltiness).  I have had one or two Shroom burgers and found them more interesting than the Soya ones. Perhaps because shrooms don’t taste synthetic for me. (Sorry but Soya sometimes feels like rubber). Also, Shrooms have a lot of nutrients you wont generally find in veggies like Vitamin B, Potassium, Iron, Zinc etc. Only issue I have with mushrooms is that we need more than just white button mushrooms.

Shrooms serve as the best starters (Cheese stuffed Tandoori mushrooms, Achari Mushrooms etc. are thankfully becoming a staple on most menus), surprisingly good patties and of course in biryanis and curries. Shrooms are really hard to beat in terms of versatility and its unique but meaty texture. Yet there is one meat substitute that is not only the Jack of all but also the master

 

1.      1.Jack Fruit /Fanas/ Kathal

Its Jack AND Master of all meat alternatives

 

Availablity	3/5
Versatility	3/5
Meatiness	8/5 (yes that’s an 8 out of 5)

 

Jackfruit is a bitch of a fruit to eat. Its thorny and you just can’t slice it at home but have to get it done from the vendor. Its availability is also an issue, It’s a seasonal fruit available from March to June/July. It’s a good fruit to eat, its chips also taste quite good and so does Jackfruit ice cream.

But Jack fruit is the most underused meat alternative in India. If you have ever had red meat of any kind- beef or pork- Jack fruit has the exact kind of thick juiciness to replicate that. Seriously, Jackfruit is thicker and meatier than a Kardashian sister. Raunchy jokes apart, though Jack has been used traditionally in southern India and in the coastal regions, you won’t find it on restaurant menus since it can take some effort to cook. But let me tell you, Jackfruit biryani and burger are the closest thing I have had to a pork biryani and burger. If Konkani restaurants started serving jackfruit-based curries, I could almost think of doing a vegetarian coastal trip. Its that good.

There is a now upstart company from Goa called Wakao foods which have started selling Jackfruit-based meat products like burger patties, biryani, butter Jack (their version of butter chicken) etc. You can order these online and give jackfruit a shot. The west is just discovering its versatility and its health benefits. Jack is very rich in micro nutrients like Magnesium, potassium etc. It also delivers a good amount of carbs. You would feel the same amount of ‘fullness’ after eating a jackfruit-based dish as you would after eating meat. (without the dullness I might add).

India being a tropical country is not using Jackfruit enough in our cooking in my opinion. It makes for the best curries, patties and biryani’s in my opinion…gives you the taste of red meat without any of its health risks.

 

 

So, there you have it, my personal countdown of healthy, fun meat alternatives. I would also say that instead of looking at them as just as cheap substitutes for the ‘real thing’, one should look at them as foods which carry their own unique identity. You are limited by your own imagination in the end. My wife, sister-in-law and mother have mastered the art of making even a kofta curry taste as good as chicken curry. Think of these healthy, tasty alternatives as more of tools for stretching your culinary creativity.

 

 

PS –

Honourable mentions:  In no particular order some honourable mentions of alternatives you can explore-

1)     Begun Bhaja-   A Bengali dish - Brinjal chops cooked covered in a lentil batter. It has a very interesting texture and looks a bit like fried fish.

2)     Patwadi Rassa/ Maaswadi Rassa- Patwadi are lentil dumplings and Maaswadi are stuffed lentil dumplings. While you can find Patwadi mostly in central and eastern Maharashtra, Maaswadi is a central, northern thing. They are essentially dipped in the same curry (rassa) made for mutton/ chicken. Protein rich and succulent, do give it a try as it is available in many Dhabas in Maharashtra these days. (Goes so well with Bhakri).

3)     Kofta Curry – Most Kofta Curries I have had in restaurants is a sweet dish. Its yucky, lacks texture and literally covered in cream in the name of ‘malai Kofta’. However, Kofta balls (made from Doodhi) dipped in non-veg style spicy Rassa is amazing. Also, Kofta made in rich Mughlai curry can be well made if taste is balanced properly. Only good one I have had was in Paradise restaurant in Hyderabad and it was quite amazing.