When travelling across the world, it is hard for vegetarian folks to get options on the menu. From limited items to sub-standard dishes, vegetarians do have to consider a lot while travelling to a country, backing up their own stock of canned food at times. With vegetarianism becoming a personal choice, restaurants still find it difficult to offer as many veg dishes on the menu as there are non-vegetarian options. I still remember when I visited a famous restaurant in Bangalore (although India is called to be one of the countries famous for her vegetarian food), I wanted to have a vegetarian meal and whatever I ordered was told to be out of stock, leaving me with no choice but to only stick to a veg burger. If a person like me, who is flexible with meals, can face such an issue, imagine how big this issue is for vegetarians who travel across the globe and want vegetarian diets. But ahead, we have tried to put together some good places on this planet which still value vegetarians and have loads of options for them. Read on!
1. Taiwan
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With Buddhist and Daoist influence, Taiwan is one of the best countries to travel to if you are a vegetarian. The Taiwanese government encourages people to have a vegetarian diet once a week and regulates the labelling of foods as vegetarian or others. Due to these practises, Taiwan has a number of restaurants that offer a vegetarian a-la-carte menu and buffet that includes their famous vegetable and beancurd dishes, along with mock meat preparations where soya or gluten are used as ingredients.
2. Sri Lanka
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Sri Lanka does not compromise with food flavours that have cinnamon, chillies, fenugreek, cardamom and jackfruit included in their staple diet, Sri Lanka is the place for you. Kos Ata Kalu Pol Maluwa, a jackfruit curry, is famous throughout the nation. The typical rice and curry have numerous options in veg, where the preparations are done in coconut milk and curry leaves. From okra to eggplant and various gourds, the country offers myriad dishes proving her to be a vegetarian food lover’s paradise. One of the delicacies you cannot miss in Lanka is the Appa (Hoppers), which is similar to a pancake, but the ingredients involve rice flour and coconut milk served with honey and curd, with options to try them in savoury form as well.
3. Lebanon
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Want to try some of the best vegetarian flavours of the Middle East? Pack your bags and head to Lebanon! Although the region’s staple diet is meat and rice, Lebanese cuisine includes vegetable preparations, cheese, fruits, grains, and cereals. From Rakkat Jibeneh, a cheese roll, to Fattet al-hummus (Chickpea in yogurt sauce) and falafel, Lebanese cuisine offers lip-smacking flavourful dishes. Spinach pastries are something you will find very native to Lebanon, and you wouldn’t want to miss out on this. Lebanese baklava will be a melting pot of richness in your mouth if you have a sweet tooth.
4. Indonesia
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Indonesian cuisine has influence from Indian, Chinese, and Malaysian cuisines. You can easily find restaurants that make vegetarian versions of classic Indonesian dishes. The famous and classic Gado Gado salad is a must-try and is locally available in Indonesia everywhere. The dish usually includes lettuce, cabbage leaves, steamed carrots and potatoes, and often tofu and bean sprouts which have egg and prawns as crackers, but you have the option to not go for them. Other dishes you can try in Indonesia are Sayur asem, Nasi goreng, and a sweet dish known as Klepon (Indonesian Sweet Rice Cakes).
5. Israel
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You must visit Israel if you’re a vegetarian. The majority of people adhere to Kosher food regulations, which forbid combining dairy and animal items. As a result, most people love eating vegetarian food in Israel, where many eateries sell meat or dairy products. As a result of the migration, Jewish cuisine has been profoundly impacted by civilisations from all over the world. Turkish sambusaks and pilafs to German strudels, Israel is a food-lover’s heaven. One can also find foods like falafel, pita bread, and hummus that are frequently served in all Middle Eastern countries. However, authentic Israeli dishes like veg fatayer, which is similar to pizza, mutabbal- a preparation of eggplant served with hummus, and matzo which is eaten during the Jewish Passover festival and can be eaten with cheese or chocolate, cannot be missed.