14 dishes to eat if you're a vegan in Karachi

[ghazi52]

14 dishes to eat if you're a vegan in Karachi

Sometimes it's as simple as asking the server to replace regular milk with almond/coconut milk

We got in touch with popular eating spots in Karachi to see if a vegan can survive in the city.


It's hard to be on certain diets in a meat-loving country like Pakistan, especially if one is vegan.

For someone who doesn't eat or use animal products at all, it can be difficult to go out to restaurants; a simple meal with friends or family can turn into a nightmare if there is nothing on the menu which caters to your diet, except water...

When we sat to think about how many eateries offer vegan options, we could hardly come up with names - we had found ourselves a task. So we got in touch with popular eating spots in Karachi to see if a vegan can survive in the city when going out to eat.

Here's what we found out.

If you want something light...

Try Figaro's Tabbouleh

If you're a salad lover, you'll really enjoy the Tabbouleh. It's fresh, crunchy with tons of flavour and super light. Or if you want something a bit more filling, go for their hummus sans the pita bread.

Try The Deli's Nutty Granola Salad

Kale, apple and cranberries are tossed together with nutty granola, giving the salad a very sweet yet acidic flavour along with a smokey taste that ties up the salad perfectly. It's filling, healthy and delicious!

Try Chupa Rustom's Aloo Methi Kebab

When you're not too hungry but you want something nice and light, give this Aloo Methi Kebab a shot and we promise you won't be disappointed.


If you're feeling generous enough to share...


Try Sattar Buksh's Veggie Pakoras

They're crispy and light and what better way to enjoy the company of your friends than with some pakoras and chutney on the side.


Try Aunty ke Qalandari's Pani Puri

It hits all the right notes. It's khata and the imli gives it the burst of flavour needed for the chickpeas.


If you're in the mood for something filling...

Try Chop Chop Wok's Make-Your-Own-Wok

You can opt for the brown/ jasmine rice and select a suitable flavour, and your protein of choice can be tofu. Super easy and you get to play around with flavours!


Try Mirchili's Khaas Katori Chaat

You don't have to opt for the yoghurt that they serve on the side, but you get the protein and the crunch with lots of khatta meetha taste.


If you're feeling indulgent...

Try Market's Crispy Black Pepper Tofu Rice Bowl:

This Rice Bowl will leave you feeling full and happy. It's got green beans, mushrooms, baby corn, onion, red chilies, garlic fried rice and of course tofu!

Try Floc's Cauliflower Thai Red curry

It's packed with flavour and lots of vegetables cut to the right size. Our favourite part about the dish was how the garlic complemented the curry - not too dry, not too sticky, just perfect.

Special mention: Okra Fries

We cannot rule out the delicious okra fries that they served on the side. They were light, crispy with the perfect seasoning and the salsa worked wonders with it. Total win!


Try Neco's Laksa

Noodles are comfort food and Neco's Laksa is the perfect meal when out with friends.

If your sweet tooth is calling
Try Lush Crush's Strawberry Satin

Honestly, their fruity popsicles are only made with real fruits and they'll have you beating the heat with tons of natural sweetness.


Try Neco's Strawberry Crumble

Granola and fresh strawberries make for a delicious combo and we can't think of a better way to end a meal.


Try Floc's Gluten and dairy free brownies

Who doesn't love chocolate? Thankfully there's an option for vegans out there and it's delicious.

 

[sankranti]

Or you could just visit India, a Vegan Paradise

 

[Wolfhunter]

Or you could just visit India, a Vegan Paradise

Vegi isn't exactly "vegan".

 

[takeiteasy]

Honestly, surviving on vegetarian diet is very hard, for those who are non-vegetarians. India with all it's veggie eaters cannot offer the simple and fulfilling feel of eating some Appam with beef/mutton stew or Beef/Mutton Biryani or a steak. In Delhi, I ran around to find a good Moradabadi Biryani shop. All Veggies here there everywhere. Even the Broasted Chicken restaurant "Nandos" offers veggie menu there. Masala Dosas or Pao Bhajis or pakoras cannot match the meat/fish/poultry diet.

 

[Joe Shearer]

Vegi isn't exactly "vegan".

No mistake there.

'Vegan', as in no meat, no fish, no eggs, no dairy.

Honestly, surviving on vegetarian diet is very hard, for those who are non-vegetarians. India with all it's veggie eaters cannot offer the simple and fulfilling feel of eating some Appam with beef/mutton stew or Beef/Mutton Biryani or a steak. In Delhi, I ran around to find a good Moradabadi Biryani shop. All Veggies here there everywhere. Even the Broasted Chicken restaurant "Nandos" offers veggie menu there. Masala Dosas or Pao Bhajis or pakoras cannot match the meat/fish/poultry diet.

Poor sod.

 

[Wolfhunter]

No mistake there.

'Vegan', as in no meat, no fish, no eggs, no dairy.

I do love me some Indian street food. Here in Manchester we have a company called the Chaat Cart and they make some excellent Dosa's:

http://www.chaatcart.co.uk

 

[Joe Shearer]

14 dishes to eat if you're a vegan in Karachi

Sometimes it's as simple as asking the server to replace regular milk with almond/coconut milk

We got in touch with popular eating spots in Karachi to see if a vegan can survive in the city.


It's hard to be on certain diets in a meat-loving country like Pakistan, especially if one is vegan.

For someone who doesn't eat or use animal products at all, it can be difficult to go out to restaurants; a simple meal with friends or family can turn into a nightmare if there is nothing on the menu which caters to your diet, except water...

When we sat to think about how many eateries offer vegan options, we could hardly come up with names - we had found ourselves a task. So we got in touch with popular eating spots in Karachi to see if a vegan can survive in the city when going out to eat.

Here's what we found out.

If you want something light...

Try Figaro's Tabbouleh

If you're a salad lover, you'll really enjoy the Tabbouleh. It's fresh, crunchy with tons of flavour and super light. Or if you want something a bit more filling, go for their hummus sans the pita bread.

Try The Deli's Nutty Granola Salad

Kale, apple and cranberries are tossed together with nutty granola, giving the salad a very sweet yet acidic flavour along with a smokey taste that ties up the salad perfectly. It's filling, healthy and delicious!

Try Chupa Rustom's Aloo Methi Kebab

When you're not too hungry but you want something nice and light, give this Aloo Methi Kebab a shot and we promise you won't be disappointed.


If you're feeling generous enough to share...


Try Sattar Buksh's Veggie Pakoras

They're crispy and light and what better way to enjoy the company of your friends than with some pakoras and chutney on the side.


Try Aunty ke Qalandari's Pani Puri

It hits all the right notes. It's khata and the imli gives it the burst of flavour needed for the chickpeas.


If you're in the mood for something filling...

Try Chop Chop Wok's Make-Your-Own-Wok

You can opt for the brown/ jasmine rice and select a suitable flavour, and your protein of choice can be tofu. Super easy and you get to play around with flavours!


Try Mirchili's Khaas Katori Chaat

You don't have to opt for the yoghurt that they serve on the side, but you get the protein and the crunch with lots of khatta meetha taste.


If you're feeling indulgent...

Try Market's Crispy Black Pepper Tofu Rice Bowl:

This Rice Bowl will leave you feeling full and happy. It's got green beans, mushrooms, baby corn, onion, red chilies, garlic fried rice and of course tofu!

Try Floc's Cauliflower Thai Red curry

It's packed with flavour and lots of vegetables cut to the right size. Our favourite part about the dish was how the garlic complemented the curry - not too dry, not too sticky, just perfect.

Special mention: Okra Fries

We cannot rule out the delicious okra fries that they served on the side. They were light, crispy with the perfect seasoning and the salsa worked wonders with it. Total win!


Try Neco's Laksa

Noodles are comfort food and Neco's Laksa is the perfect meal when out with friends.

If your sweet tooth is calling
Try Lush Crush's Strawberry Satin

Honestly, their fruity popsicles are only made with real fruits and they'll have you beating the heat with tons of natural sweetness.


Try Neco's Strawberry Crumble

Granola and fresh strawberries make for a delicious combo and we can't think of a better way to end a meal.


Try Floc's Gluten and dairy free brownies

Who doesn't love chocolate? Thankfully there's an option for vegans out there and it's delicious.

Awesome.

Pakoras tomorrow, and now I know what I really want to do with those four or five lady-fingers lying unused.

I do love me some Indian street food. Here in Manchester we have a company called the Chaat Cart and they make some excellent Dosa's:

http://www.chaatcart.co.uk

WTF?

I make excellent dosas! Ah, but they obviously do a wide variety. The place for dosas, not the gimmicky ones, is New Krishna Bhavan, opposite Mantri Mall, in Malleswaram, in Bangalore. Be sure to put it on your list; they do ragi dosas, AND jowar dosas, and throw in neer dosas too.

WHAT am I doing here, 700 kms away?

 

[Wolfhunter]

WTF?

I make excellent dosas! Ah, but they obviously do a wide variety. The place for dosas, not the gimmicky ones, is New Krishna Bhavan, opposite Mantri Mall, in Malleswaram, in Bangalore. Be sure to put it on your list; they do ragi dosas, AND jowar dosas, and throw in neer dosas too.

WHAT am I doing here, 700 kms away?

Thank you for the suggestion, I will be visiting India near December 2018 . Just need to sort out annual leave!

 

[war&peace]

No mistake there.

'Vegan', as in no meat, no fish, no eggs, no dairy.



Poor sod.

I got it, you're either a vegetarian or vegan.. I will pass this info to ISI

 

[Joe Shearer]

I got it, you're either a vegetarian or vegan.. I will pass this info to ISI

Two weeks ago, it was a full pork week, thanks to a fellow-member. Not at home, because of my poor landlord; and after Ramzan, when the crowds are less, it'll be steaks at Toli Chowki.

 

[ghazi52]

I like this....

 

[Joe Shearer]

I got it, you're either a vegetarian or vegan.. I will pass this info to ISI

I just stick to cooking vegetarian at home, because of a self-imposed ban due to my landlord being who he is.

I like this....

Yup, can do.

I've just finished phul kopir dalna (alu gobi Bengali style, but with a holy twist - no onion, no garlic) and alu bhindi sabzi during the last ten-fifteen days. This bhindi dish is interesting; looks like besan-coated bhindi. I have a recipe for that, and think I'll try it.

 

[war&peace]

Two weeks ago, it was a full pork week, thanks to a fellow-member. Not at home, because of my poor landlord; and after Ramzan, when the crowds are less, it'll be steaks at Toli Chowki.

Do people in India eat pork?...I though that Indians (both Hindus and Muslims) don't eat pork.

 

[Joe Shearer]

Do people in India eat port?...I though that Indians (both Hindus and Muslims) don't eat pork.

Christians, tribals in the north-east, Dalits and some Hindus (this one included) eat pork. Not on a daily basis; as and when affordable, and clean.

The same with beef: Christians, tribals in the north-east, Dalits and some Hindus, and also Muslims eat beef. Not on a daily basis; as and when affordable, and clean.

If you want to graph vegetarianism in India, take a point somewhere in northern Gujarat, about 100 kms from the border with Rajasthan, and draw increasingly larger circles, about 500 kms larger each time. The further away a place is, the more it is likely to have a population that is non-vegetarian. By the time you get to a segment going beyond Maharashtra in the south, Madhya Pradesh in the east, and Bihar in the north-east, and Haryana in the north, it's mostly non-veg, but with the forbidden meats excluded. The Punjab, for instance, bans both beef and pork; the Sardar eats chicken and mutton, if he and his family eat meat at all. After Bengal, that eats tons of fish, and mutton and chicken, it's non-vegetarian, meat eating all the way to Burma.

 

[Wolfhunter]

Christians, tribals in the north-east, Dalits and some Hindus (this one included) eat pork. Not on a daily basis; as and when affordable, and clean.

The same with beef: Christians, tribals in the north-east, Dalits and some Hindus, and also Muslims eat beef. Not on a daily basis; as and when affordable, and clean.

If you want to graph vegetarianism in India, take a point somewhere in northern Gujarat, about 100 kms from the border with Rajasthan, and draw increasingly larger circles, about 500 kms larger each time. The further away a place is, the more it is likely to have a population that is non-vegetarian. By the time you get to a segment going beyond Maharashtra in the south, Madhya Pradesh in the east, and Bihar in the north-east, and Haryana in the north, it's mostly non-veg, but with the forbidden meats excluded. The Punjab, for instance, bans both beef and pork; the Sardar eats chicken and mutton, if he and his family eat meat at all. After Bengal, that eats tons of fish, and mutton and chicken, it's non-vegetarian, meat eating all the way to Burma.

Thanks for this amazing bit of Information.