Veganuary

29/1/21

Written By: Anika Akthar

Why a Vegan Curry Should be a staple for you Veganuary Challenge?

Although January is coming to an end, Veganuary will have inspired many to carry on their

vegan journey. Statistics from last year show that over 400,000 people took part in the

challenge in 2020 and that has risen this year to 440,000.

What is Veganuary?

Veganuary is a campaign that encourages people to try out veganism for the month of January. The movement has built steam since its start in 2014 and has now reached 192 countries. The impact of this non-profit organisation has seen a surge of popularity through social media with the hashtag #Veganuary and many people documenting their journey. By following a vegan diet, you forgo meat and any by-products made from animals such as milk, eggs, and honey. This is where Indian cuisine comes in... Curry’s can definitely be implemented into vegan diets. The Indian subcontinent is a region of amalgamated identities and with that comes a diversity in food. With many people fulfilling a vegetarian or vegan diet for centuries now due to religious or ethical reasons, the area has amassed histories worth of vegan recipes. Many may think that Indian food is heavily influenced by meat. However, much of the Staples are vegan friendly. The cuisine is all about its spices and how they merge to create those infamous aromatic flavours. The Indian subcontinent has a tropical environment, so a variety of vegetables make up the ingredients list of many recipes. Chickpeas have become a firm favourite for many vegans. They’re used to introduce protein back into the diet. A quick Chana masala could be the twist you need to introduce Indian food into your palate. By searing the chickpeas in a glaze of caramelised onions and your desired spices, a meal has been created with almost little effort. Making a vegan lentil soup, or daal, is perhaps one of the easiest curries to make. This is a staple dish for many people in the Indian subcontinents and is on many British curry house menus. Daal takes very little preparation, and you will always have a warm and hearty meal with minimal effort from your end. As some will know, a vegan diet often supplements meats with various options from tofu to soy. This can also be done for many curries. A lamb dhansak could become an aubergine dhansak. The famous chicken tikka masala can be changed to a jackfruit tika masala. A good old curry doesn’t have to be longwinded or complicated.

Tips for Veganuary

Whether you’ve decided to leave this challenge on January 31 st, or you have taken the leap

to continue on a vegan diet and lifestyle, there is no doubt that Veganuary has had positive

impacts. If you are thinking of starting your own curry culinary journey, some quick tips for

you would be to use those basic ingredients of onion, ginger, and garlic. Don’t be afraid to

try out different spices to see what suits your palate. Garam masala does wonders for both

taste and smell of a curry. Lastly, experimenting is the best way forward. There’s very little

you can do to make a curry the ‘wrong’ way. Find what vegetables and what flavours work

for you and you will be well on your way to spicing up your plate for mealtime.