How to Survive as a Vegetarian in Iran?

Honestly, it is pretty difficult to survive as a vegetarian traveler in Iran. Most of the restaurants do not serve/serve very limited vegetarian food. The locals love to eat meat and hence most of the restaurants serve kebabs. I spent 27 days traveling the length and breadth of this country and really struggled at many places, but towards the end of my trip, I learnt a lot of things that would have helped me as a vegetarian traveler in Iran. Below are these helpful tips if you are a vegetarian and intend to visit Iran.

 
1) Learn to say that you don’t eat meat in Persian. (Bedoonay Goosht means ‘no meat’). You can also say ‘Man kiah korh hastaam’ (I am a plant eater).

2) In restaurants, ask for dishes like Mirza Ghazeimi (roasted eggplant), Kashq e-Badumjun (Eggplant and Tomatoes in a broth), Khorak e-Badumjun (Eggplant with lentils in a thick broth), shorba (lentil soup) and must (yogurt with garlic).

3) If you are visiting a local home, you can ask for any of the above dishes or for Kuku Sabzi (a deep fried dish made from vegetables).


4) You can eat saffron rice, plain rice and any of the many types of breads available in Iran.

5) Yoghurt and Yoghurt dishes are aplenty in Iran. This will help you get you much needed protein and hence it would be good to know their names. Mast-o-Khiar (Cucumber and Mint Yoghurt), Tzatziki (Cucumber in Yoghurt), Mast-o-Badamjun (Eggplant in Yoghurt) and other varieties.

6) Buy labneh cheese, peynir cheese, butter and other types of cheese spreads from the super market. You can eat this with the many types of breads available in Iran (Barbari, Taftoon, Sangak, Lavash and others). My personal favorite is Barbari, but it is best consumed hot.


7) A lot of fruits and vegetables are available in the local markets. This will ensure that you get your vitamin supplement easily.

8) Iran is like the nut and dry fruit capital of the world. Almonds, pistachios, Apricots, Dates, Walnuts, Figs, Sunflower Seeds, Watermelon Seeds and many more are available here and at very reasonable prices. It would be good to snack on these from time to time.

9) The people of Iran have a sweet tooth and hence like to indulge in their desserts and sweets (shirni). These desserts have a lot of nuts, butter and sugar and hence make for ideal food supplement in case you can’t find yourself a wholesome vegetarian meal. Even the local ice creams are delicious.


10) In most parts of Iran, even if you can’t find a vegetarian dish in a local restaurant, you can definitely find a vegetarian sandwich in a sandwich joint. These sandwiches are made from (veggies, falafel (deep fried chickpeas), mushrooms and/or peynir (local cheese)). They are not the healthiest option, but they are cheap and help you get your calories for the meal.

11) Another great protein supplement in Iran is doogh (their yoghurt based drink). At some places close to the Turkey border, it is referred to as Ayran. This drink is either served plain or flavored with mint and other herbs.


12) Other drinks such as Sherbat, Tea, Coffee are available at many places.


If you follow these handy tips while traveling to Iran, you will find that it is easy to travel as a vegetarian in Iran. You might not have tons of options, but you will end up eating local and delicious food that takes cares of all your nutritional needs.

Continue Reading...

Turkey’s Favorite Alcoholic Drink

A trip to Turkey is not complete without being a part of a raki-sofrasi session. This is when you taste the national drink of Turkey and consume it alongside meze, a great assorted selection of hot and cold appetizers. A raki-sofrasi is like the norm with most Turkish people all over the country. It is a great way to sample this strong alcoholic drink with some great vegetarian and meat appetisers that go so well with this drink.


This drink, which is made from grapes and flavored with anise is ideally had dry with normal or sparkling water separately. Some people are also known to mix it with ice and water. When raki is mixed with water, it becomes milky colored and tastes a tad different. Depending on your personal preference, you can try either of these drinking techniques. Irrespective of the technique, all people enjoy the meze that is had along with this drink. Raki is a bit stiff with 45% alcohol content and one needs to acquire a taste to enjoy it. It is one of those few drinks that doesn’t burn your throat. Rather, it makes your ears feel unbelievably warm.


If you visit Turkey, I would heavily recommend trying this local drink. If you don’t consume alcohol, you should at least be a part of the raki-sofrasi session, enjoy the moments and the great food. A trip to Turkey is not complete without taking part in this iconic tradition. And when you do take part in this tradition, do remember to say SEREFE!!

Continue Reading...

Traditional Vegetarian Food Trails of Mumbai

I am a foodie and a vegetarian. Sounds like a tough combination to pull off, but I have been managing to get lucky so far. I am more interested in the traditional foods than the foods that have become the norm these days. Everything about our original and traditional foods appeal to me – their cooking, their smell, their presentation and of course their taste.


In all my travels across India, I have been trying to explore such traditional food trails. So far, I have explored the traditional food circuits of Bangalore, Chennai, Jodhpur, Jaisalmer, Amritsar, Kolkata and Hyderabad. For some reason, I had kept missing Mumbai even though I knew of its immensely big, popular and proud food circuit. This was one trail that I definitely wanted to sample. Hence, I planned a short 2 day trip to Mumbai just to experience its traditional foods. The idea was to meet friends and enjoy simple, authentic, iconic and delicious Mumbai food.


There were many places that I could check out, but then I did not have the luxury of time. In my 2 days, I did a mixed bag of iconic places and off beat places within close range from each other. This logic helped me sample some very special Mumbai food while not wasting too much time traveling from place to place. And the credit for chalking out the plan goes to my close friend and cousin brother, both of whom are Mumbaikars.


Here is how my gastronomic journey went. From Thalipith to Misal Pav, Pav Bhaji to Bun Maska, Akkruti Roti to Vada Pav, Kala Khatta to Irani Chai, Apple Butter Tea to Sugarcane Juice, Gujarati Thali to Sabudana Vada and from Falooda to Chilli Ice Cream, I had it all. It was simply a epic treat for my palate and an absolute reward for all the running I had done preceding to this 2 day foodie journey. For your assistance, I have mentioned all the restaurant names or eating zones, the area in which they are located and a link to their zomato page where available. This will help you trace these foodie trails easily.


Let the treat begin…

Kanda Poha at Home
I got a taste of Mumbai even before I stepped out of home. It all started with some nice spicy Kanda Poha, a perfect breakfast snack to start off my Mumbai foodie trip.

Prakash Restaurant – Dadar


Prakash was possibly the best beginning I could have had to my gastronomical food journey. This iconic place has such delicious Maharashtrian food that it took me 3 hours and many kilometers of walking before I could even swallow a tiny morsel of food. The place is tiny and located in the heart of Dadar, but the food is totally delicious.


While I tried nearly everything on their menu, I absolutely loved their Misal, Bharli Wangi (Oh! This was deliciously out of the world), Thalipith, Kothimber Wadi (Deep Fried, but who cares!) and Sabudana Wada. Piyush and Solkadh were great to beat the Mumbai heat, but you need to acquire a taste for them, else you might not take a liking to it.

Shree Thaker Bhojanalay – Kalbadevi


Be warned! This is not the place you should go to if your appetite is less. The food here is fit for the truly hungry and the ones with a super appetite. Coz the food keeps coming here till you pass out because of eating or because of tiredness. But, it is definitely a grand Gujarati treat in Mumbai. Where do I start? The Dal Halwa or the Kheer, the Bajra Roti, Jowar Roti or Missi Roti, the Pakodas or the Cheese Roll or the Kadi, they were all out of the world. The vegetables were normal. Nothing special about them, but simple and good. The biriyani and kichdi is also good here. Again, go here only if you can manage 3 meals in one meal.

Bachelorr’s – Charni Road


This iconic juice and ice cream shop is a part of Mumbai’s iconic food circuit. The who’s who of Mumbai visit this roadside shop in the evenings and late nights to sample its delicious juices and ice creams. Their specialty here is the custard apple ice cream. Personally, I think their green chill ice cream is worth trying at least once. It is an unique combination of chilli flavor and an ice cream, a rare combination.

Chowpatty Khau Galli – Chowpatty
Opposite Bachelorr’s lies the Chowpatty Khau Galli that is extremely popular in the evening hours. Vada Pav, Pav Bhaji, Misal Pav, Bombay Sandwich, Bhel Puri, Juices and much more are the craze here. This is cheap street food and an ideal way to calm your pre-dinner hunger while soaking in the gentle sea breeze.

Cannon - Churchgate


Ideally, Mumbai’s best pav bhaji is made at Sardars, but since Sardars was a bit far away, I opted for Cannon’s Pav Bhaji, which is like the second best in the city. Located bang outside of the Churchgate station, this place is easy to find.


Their pav bhaji is nice, but I really liked their Alu Wadis served with spicy hot chutney.

Khala Khatta - Churchgate

This is possibly the most refreshing cold drink to have on a hot Mumbai afternoon. Located beside Cannon Pav Bhaji, this is a small shop that sells Kala Khatta and other popular cool drinks. One of my favorite drinks from Mumbai.

Sugarcane Thela Gaadi near Fashion Street

This is a non-descript thela gaadi located on fashion street and next to the large maidan entrance. The sugarcane juice for some reason was really top class here. I would really recommend this gaadi wala if you can locate him.

Khau Galli - Churchgate

Initially, we were supposed to do the Ghatkopar Khau Galli, but later zeroed in on the one at Churchgate. This is a street with eateries on both sides. Be it Bombay Sandwich, Frankie Rolls, Juices, Pav Bhaji and other popular street options. A definite must-do on the Mumbai street food trail.

Tea Centre - Churchgate


Apple Butter Tea. This is the specialty here and a truly refreshing experience. The tea and snacks are great here, but what is even better is the price. You can get great pot of teas in an air conditioned environment and in the middle of the city for about 150 rupees. Now, that is a great deal in my mind. This place was not on my radar initially, but we chanced upon this place as we needed a respite from Mumbai’s heat while we were exploring the Churchgate area.

Kyani and Co – Marine Lines


Great Parsi food and Mumbai go hand in hand. No Mumbai food trail is complete without tasting some of their iconic Parsi food. Running operations since 1904, Kyani and Co is an iconic Parsi food outlet that is located in the busy Marine Lines area of Mumbai.


While the food is not necessarily vegetarian here (In fact, they serve great meat dishes), they have some great vegetarian options that are worth trying. If you eat eggs like me, I would recommend the Parsi Akkruti on toast. In my 33 years, I have never head better eggs, butter and toast. The Bun Maska and Irani chai is one of the most favorite snacks on the menu here.


The Mava Cake and the Cherry cold Parsi custard were 2 desserts that I liked. Their menu is huge and would require at least 20 visits to sample all of them. They also make some great cookies and cakes that make for great takeaways.

Baadshah – Crawford Market


Like Prakash was a great start to my Mumbai food trip, the falooda at Baadshah was a fitting end. The Baadshahi Falooda with the Malai Kulfi was so good that I indulged (some of you can say sinned) in one more of this very high calorie dessert. And while we were eating the Falooda, the only sound that came from our mouth was Mmphhh! Mmphh!!


Really top class Falooda it was.


I know that I just scratched the surface with this short food trail of Mumbai, but my experience was so good and so rich that I am very excited about planning another one and this time hopefully for a longer time. Till then, 3 cheers to Mumbai’s traditional food trails!!

Continue Reading...

For the Tea Connoisseur

I am a big tea lover. Love all kinds of teas. Be it short leaf, long leaf, white, green, flower, orange pekoe, black, red, CTC, Darjeeling, English Breakfast, Earl Grey, Tulsi, Chamomile, Hibiscus, Masala Chai, Mint and so many more of the other varieties. When I had recently gone to Hyderabad to apply for my Iran tourist visa, my friend’s wife recommended this tea lounge and fortunately for me it was right opposite the Iran consulate in the Banjara Hills area of Hyderabad.


The place is called Finjaan and serves close to 36 varieties of tea from around the world. I had lots of time to kill while I waited for my one day visa and hence indulged properly in some of the teas from Finjaan’s menu.


First, I tried the flowering white tea from China, which is like a small ball, but once you put hot water over it and let it steep, it blooms open like a flower. It has a very smooth taste and I felt like I could keep drinking it. It also took away all my lethargy that crept in after my Rayalseema lunch.


The next one I tried was a pink tea that is prepared with Bulgarian roses. This one has natural sweetness. It looks clear and is pretty smooth and mild, but I generally don’t like my tea to be sweet. Everything else about the tea was nice except for the sweetness.


The third and the last variety that I tried was the jade rolls green tea. This once is a very good quality green tea and hits the mark perfectly in terms of taste, flavor, aroma and mood lifting. I liked it the most. Good green tea can be such a relaxing drink.


There were many other teas that I wanted to try, but I did not have the time. One needs a lot of time to enjoy the teas available here. But, if you do enjoy them, you will end up returning home a very happy person. Finjaan has teas from China, Japan, India, Middle East and many other places. Their collect includes Red Teas, Black Teas, White Teas, Pink Teas, Green Teas and Organic Teas.


If you are in Hyderabad and wish to indulge in some good teas, then I would recommend that you try this place out. The place doesn’t come cheap (at about INR 160 to 200 for a pot of tea), but I think that tea lovers would not mind spending a bit more for these royal teas.

Continue Reading...

5 Exotic Dishes to try in Cambodia

Cambodia is located in the southern part of the Indochina peninsula and similar to Thailand and Vietnam, it is a popular destination for Western travellers looking to explore a culture completely different to their own. One defining difference of many cultures is the food and diet of the local people and this offering often forms a major part of our decision to visit a country.

The staple Cambodian diet consists mainly of rice and freshwater fish from the Mekong River and Tonle Sap but there’s a lot more to Cambodian food than just those two ingredients. Often overshadowed by neighbors Thailand and Vietnam, Cambodian cuisine deserves more of a spotlight than it currently receives. Anyone who has experience with travelling to Cambodia will have a good idea about the exotic flavors contained in Cambodian food, especially traditional street food.


It’s hard to imagine a Cambodian dish prepared without the key ingredients lemon grass, kaffir lime, garlic, ginger, coconut milk or black pepper. Why not plan a trip to and try the following Cambodian foods for yourself?

1. Fish amok is often considered the national dish of Cambodia and uses freshwater fish, usually the snakehead fish or cat fish as its main ingredient. A similar dish is available in neighboring countries but fish amok in Cambodia is distinctive in taste. Firstly, thanks to the addition of a paste known as ‘Kroeung’ (made from lemongrass, garlic, turmeric, fermented fish paste and galangal) and secondly due to the addition of the local bitter herb slok ngor. Fish amok will often come beautifully presented wrapped in banana leaf. Other variations made with Tofu or Chicken can be found but these are more of a recent emergence and would not be considered a traditional dish.

2. Bai sach chrouk - Better known simply as pork and rice, Bai sach chrouk is in fact a breakfast dish which is said to sell out so fast so it’s unlikely you will find any left at lunchtime. This street food is simple to prepare but still packs a punch of flavors. The pork is usually sliced and grilled after being marinated in garlic, soy, green onion and coconut milk. There is no specific way to prepare and serve Bai sach chrouk meaning no two dishes are likely to be the same.

3. Khmer beef skewers – Using Kroeung at the heart of the marinade these beef skewers are a traditional street food. Unlike Bai sach chrouk preparation for this dish is not quick. Pickled vegetables need to be prepared a day ahead and the beef benefits from a day sat in the marinade too.

4. Khmer Noodles – Another traditional street food technically known as nom banh chok and so named after the fermented rice noodles that form the basis for the dish. Khmer Noodles include a serving of raw vegetables, banana leaf, lemongrass, fresh mint and basil. This gives the dish a light and fragrant finish, more like a salad than a noodle dish.

5. Cambodian Fruit – Cambodian food is not just about fish, noodles and spice. Well known tropical fruits such as mango, dragonfruit and papaya are available from many local markets, as are many lesser known fruits. These include the ‘soursop’, the lychee like ‘longan’, the cinnamon hinted ‘lemut’ and even single seeded ‘water apples’. A local delicacy, but one most Westerners may want to avoid is the ‘durian’ which has a terrible smell and an armored shell that’s difficult to get into.

Many westerners are put off Cambodia as a culinary destination due to myths and horror stories spread by travellers but these should be taken with a pinch of salt. Why not plan your own Cambodia tour and see if you can adopt a style that you can recreate back home and impress your friends with your newly found exotic culinary skills.

Continue Reading...