Hacker News Reader

Comment by malikNF | Hacker News Reader

I recently started preferring the vegetarian option over the non-veg one. And what you say exactly is the same problem I am facing, having to come up with what to eat. With meat its really easy to come up with what to eat, but whenever I try to think of something vegetarian it gets hard.

Do you have any tips for someone starting to switch to a vegetarian diet? Especially when it comes to variety and how I can do this a bit easier?

View on HN

Not vegetarian, but have some related experience.

The problem isn't vegetarian vs. non-vegetarian, the problem is moving away from whatever diet you grew up in. There is a ton of "a meal looks like this" knowledge you don't really know you've absorbed, but changing it means you have to learn new things. This is especially true about achieving overall reasonable balance.

Two suggestions. 1) Look at major international vegetarian cuisines (e.g. Buddist, various Indian regions, some middle eastern) and learn some basics, practice until they are easy. 2) Find a broad range cookbook like "How to cook everything vegetarian" pitched and your comfort/skill level with cooking.

If you are really worried or confused about dietary balance, read something like "becoming vegetarian" or the like, a nutrition book rather than cook book. Actually, read a few, it will help you avoid the diet fad issues that plague food & nutrition. Question anything you feel sounds extreme.

> "Whenever I try to think of something vegetarian it gets hard. Do you have any tips for someone starting to switch to a vegetarian diet? Especially when it comes to variety and how I can do this a bit easier?"

Having the raw ingredients available is like knowing syntax/functions to a programming language but not having the experience to structure it. There are so many frameworks/libraries/tutorials (recipes) that already exist so you don't have to spend copious amounts of time with trial and error.

What I do is I'll sit down and search the web for vegetarian recipes that look good and commit to making them on certain days.

Also I never thought I'd be recommending anything Buzzfeed related to anyone, but actually a good source is "Tasty Vegetarian" (https://www.facebook.com/tastyvegetarian/) which posts random vegetarian recipes that are really easy to make (I've had really good ones and also some kind of bad ones. If it's bad, usually the comments will be full of people complaining)

Look at Indian cuisine. They have a ton of vegetarian options.

Look into Indian cooking. They've lots of delecious vegetarian cuisines.

This is certainly true, but Indian cooking is a commitment. You need to have several spices on hand (turmeric, cumin seeds, mustard seed, both coriander seed and powder, fenugreek, kashmiri chili, cinnamon bark, asafoetida, a decent garam masala, fresh or frozen curry leaves); you will need to understand how to grind these spices and then temper them in oil or ghee; you will need to have a variety of legumes (split dried chickpeas, split dried mung bean, red lentils); you will also need basmati rice and yogurt; you might like to have tamarind and mango pickle; you will need the ability to constantly mash together ginger, garlic, and fresh chili; you must have the capacity to finely chop onions.

Indian food has subtleties, and it's not easy for the beginner.

South indian food is super simple at the core level - heat oil, add mustard seeds, when they pop, add asefoteda/fenugreek & curry / spices (I buy them at a local Indian store - usu. curry + cayenne), then whatever veggies you want (green beans or potatoes are nice)

You forgot cumin seeds. Add some coconut milk and you get an excellent dish.

It's really not that difficult if you take a few classes.

Reply on news.ycombinator.com