VEGETARIANS OF INDIA

Vegetarian of India : Habits of the Brahmans Afford a Testimonial to Value of No-Flesh Diet

THE eminent Prof. C. B. Ramarao, M.D., delegate to the British Medical Association which recently held its meeting at Toronto, stated in a lecture recently delivered before the physicians and guests of the Battle Creek Sanitarium upon the habits and customs of the people of India, that the Brahmans of southern India, who are known to be the most intellectual and highly cultivated people of that country, absolutely eschew all animal food of every description with the exception of milk. Even eggs are excluded from their dietary. The Brahmans of northern India make use of eggs, and sometimes of fish, but never eat the flesh of animals.

Dr. Ramarao is himself a fine specimen of physical development and manly vigor, a man of great intellect and professional attainments. He showed himself to be quite the equal of his white colleagues in the discussion of various questions of interest at the meeting of the British Medical Association. He was particularly happy in his reply to an eminent English physician who spoke in defense of the high protein dietary and the use of flesh meats. In his remarks, the professor (Dr. Haliburton) maintained that the inferiority of the Hindu race was in part due to the small amount of protein they had in their dietary; that they were inferior physically on this account, and lacked endurance. Dr. Ramarao was very quickly upon his feet when the professor had ceased talking, and made so vigorous and effective a defense of the low protein dietary and abstinence from flesh, that he received vigorous applause from the entire assembly of medical men.

At the present time, there are very few men who are well versed in the results of recent researches in dietetics and physiologic chemistry who are not thoroughly persuaded that the use of flesh meat is quite unnecessary. If foodstuffs rich in proteins are at any time needful as an addition to the dietary, they may be readily found in peas, beans, lentils, milk, and eggs; but that even these protein substances are not really needful is clearly shown by the fact demonstrated by Prof. Chittenden, whose views Prof. Haliburton sought though unsuccessfully to controvert. Prof.Chittenden has shown that the actual requirements of the body of protein material is only ten per cent of the total food value. That this is without doubt correct, the writer, and many others, have fully demonstrated in personal experience. Even the potato and rice contain a sufficient amount of protein to meet the needs of the body, while wheat bread, rye, barley, and oatmeal contain more protein than is actually required.

The fear of proteid starvation without the use of flesh food is, then, absolutely groundless. The natural products of the earth supply in ample quantity a proper proportion of the elements necessary for human sustenance.

The taking of life to perpetuate human life is necessary only under unusual and extraordinary conditions in which the ordinary and natural foodstuffs are unobtainable.

THANKSGIVING VEGETARIAN SUBSTITUTES FOR TURKEY

In this post we will try to find some alternative vegan and vegetarian recipes for the thanksgiving turkey. The following are some vegetarian substitutes for Thanksgiving Turkey:-

VEGETABLE ROAST OR MOCK TURKEY

To two cups of lentil or bean pulp (made by putting cooked lentils or beans  through a colander), add one cup of strained canned tomato, two eggs, two cups of nut meal or very finely chopped nuts, one-half cup of 20% gluten or browned flour, the juice of a medium-sized onion, a little minced celery or celery salt, sage and salt to season, and one-fourth cup of dairy or nuttolene cream. The mixture should be quite stiff, as it will be if the water is largely evaporated from the legumes in the cook­ing.

Place in a bread-tin to bake and with a thin-bladed knife press into shape. Use macaroni for the "drum sticks." Bake in a quick oven. Serve with the following dressing: One cup of lentil or bean pulp, one cup of strained tomato, one cup of dairy or nuttolene cream, browned flour to thick­en. Season with salt, celery and a little grated onion. Strain before serving.

CEREAL ROAST

One cup of milk, one cup of cream, two eggs, three-fourths cup of nut meal, one cup of granola, salt to season.

Beat the eggs slightly, add the milk, cream, nut meal, and granola, also salt if desired. Let stand fifteen minutes,f then bake in a moderate oven thirty to forty-five minutes.

CHESTNUT ROAST

Prepare the chestnuts by dropping into boiling water for ten minutes and re­move the shells and skins with a knife.Two cups of chopped chestnuts, three cups of stale bread crumbs, three-fourths cup of cream, two eggs, one teaspoonful of salt, one medium-sized onion, grated, and a little sage.

Beat the eggs, add salt, cream, milk, grated onion, bread crumbs, chopped chestnuts, and sage. Bake in a moderate oven thirty to forty-five minutes.

SANITAS ROAST

Remove the contents of one-pound can of Sanitas Meat cut into halves lengthwise, lay in a baking pan with the flat surface down, sprinkle with salt and a little grated onion, and pour over a half cup of strained tomatoes. Bake twenty to thirty minutes in a moderate oven. Serve with the following: —

PIQUANT SAUCE

One-half pint of protose or a vegeta­ble broth, seasoned with a little thyme, mint, and one-half teaspoonful salt.  Thicken with two and one-half tablespoonfuls of browned flour braided with a little water. Boil five minutes, strain, and add the following: one and one-half tablespoonfuls lemon juice, one-half teaspoonful sugar, one-half tablespoonful of grated onionion,and one dozen chopped ripe olives.

WALNUT ROAST

To two eggs slightly beaten, add one cup of milk, one cup of cream, one cup of granola, one-half cup chopped Eng­lish walnuts and salt to season. Let soak twenty minutes, bake in an oiled pan for thirty to forty-five minutes

Raisin Rice Pudding

We now continue our learning on the preparation of vegan and vegetarian dishes. In this post we will learn how to make Raisin-Rice Pudding. This is a lacto ovo vegetarian dish as it includes milk but vegans can substitute cow milk with soy milk.

The ingredients to make raisin rice pudding are as follows:-

• 2 cups cooked brown rice.
• 2 cups low-fat milk
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• two third cup raisins
• one third cup chopped dates
• one quarter teaspoon salt

How to Make Raisin Rice Pudding

• Combine all the ingredients 
• Put into a baking dish and bake uncovered at 350 degrees fareinheit about 45 minutes; 
• Cover and let stand 10 minutes.
• or steam in double boiler about an hour.

Serve warm and chilled.

Variations

• Add ¼  cup coconut (or use in place of the dates). 
• Add ¼  cup pine nuts.
• Addition of ⅛ teaspoon anise flavoring and 1 teaspoon ground coriander or 1 teaspoon  ground cardamon gives a distinctive flavor.
• Mashed, ripe banana folded in just before serving adds creaminess and sweetness.
• Cooked millet can replace rice. 

pineapple tart recipe

Continuing our lessons on cooking vegetarian and vegan recipes we now want to learn the pineapple tart recipe.In order to prepare a pineapple tart you need the following ingredients:-

• four cups crushed pineapple, undrained
• two third cup flour
• two teaspoons grated lemon rind.
• 2 teaspoons honey.

How to Make a Pineapple Tart 

• Stir pineapple and flour together.
• Simmer, stirring until thickened 
• Remove from heat; cool slightly and add grated lemon rind and honey.

An Alternate Method: To make turn overs, cut unbaked rolled-out dough into 4 inch squares or circles. Put filling on one half; moisten edges and fold into triangles. Press edges together with tines of a fork. Prick tops. Bake at 375 degrees Fahrenheit about 15 minutes or until delicately browned. These are nice for picnics and lunches.

Variations: 

• For sweeter filling soak prunes in apple juice instead of water.
• Use other fillings, such as date butter or Apricot Butter, cooked of fresh fruit covered with a glaze.
• Use dates or figs instead of prunes.
• Instead of whipped topping, sprinkle tops with sunflower seeds.