November 12, 2020
There are a lot of conflicting accounts when it comes to the consumption of meat across India as many people believe that the country is vastly vegetarian while others are certain that the diet of the people relies on meat like chicken, goat and fish. In fact, religion can also play an important role in food that Indian people choose to consume. Read on as we go over everything there is to know about the way that vegetarianism is approached within Indian cuisine…
A lot of studies in the past have claimed that 1/3 of the country’s population is vegetarian, however, these figures are often non-serious estimates carried out by those who take an average and scale it up in order to encompass the whole country. In actual fact, government statistics suggest that 23-37% of Indian people consider their diet to be vegetarian, and these figures can differ considerably when the limelight is put on certain cities. For instance, information from the National Family Health Survey suggested 49% of people from Indore consumed a vegetarian diet whereas just 6% do in Chennai.
When it comes to meat-eating, the vast majority of Indian people opt for lamb, mutton and goat meat because it is affordable and available in abundance. With this said, there is a lot of emerging data that suggests that beef is slowly becoming a favourite too, and this may be the reason why it is found in a lot of Indian dishes like beef masala.
Culture and religion are also contributing factors to the diet of many Indian people and has shaped the countries cuisine for hundreds of years. There are actually a variety of different religions within India including Hinduism, Buddhism, Jainism, Sikhism and Islam. Since Hindus and Sikhs do not consume beef and Muslims are forbidden from eating pork, this is often thought to be the reason why lamb and goat are so prevalent within Indian cuisine. On the other hand, those who follow Jainism are required to consume a vegetarian diet which could also explain the number of tasty vegetarian dishes that the country has to offer.
Here at Royal Nawaab, we are known for our wide array of traditional Indian dishes and we want to ensure that our diners are experiencing Indian cuisine as authentically as possible. After all, there is often a wide array of both vegetarian and meat-based dishes that can be found in India as the country as a whole is neither committed to one nor the other. To find out more information about our vegetarian dishes, get in contact with the best restaurant London has to offer today!
