Kathmandu, March 12
If you are wishing to follow a vegetarian lifestyle, but finding it difficult to exclude meat items from your menu, you have the best option here.
Food items made of from ‘plant meat’ were of course a matter of surprise for visitors to the two-day Asia Pacific Vegetarian Congress and Vegetarian Festival (APVC and VegFest) concluded at Nepal Police Club Sunday.
Besides, visitors were offered soybean milk and other products like real milk products in the festival.
One Mani Bhandari who was found relishing ‘meat chilly’ made from green vegetables and grains at the festival observed: “It seems and tastes exactly like mutton, and I am feeling that I am eating mutton.”
But experience of his spouse Madhu Sharma who is vegetarian was a bit different. As she shared that she personally felt uncomfortable with the name ‘meat’ itself and could not continue eating after tasting one/ two pieces. “Anyway, it is a kind of revolution and can be the best option to those who love animals, but cannot follow a vegetarian diet.”
The Tiffin Break Cafe based in the federal capital provided such ‘artificial meat’ to Nepali consumers. According to Restaurant cook Prem Shrestha, they use ‘artificial meat’ in its menu.
Soybean milk and tea and curd made from such milk were available at one of the stalls in the fest, drawing the attention of visitors.
In view of stall proprietor and owner of Boudhha-based Loving Heart Restaurant Shakti Yonjan, plant meat and vegetable milk could be a better option for those practicing vegetarian and vegan (no eggs, milk products, and animal-derived ingredients) diets.
Though these food items have the names similar to meat products, they are hundred percent vegetarian products.
Guest from various 30 countries arrived to join the festival organised jointly by the Nepal Vegetarian Association and International Vegetarian Union under the theme of “practice compassion and live healthy”, according to NVA Vice Chair Krishna Gurung .
