Ridged Luffa Squash with Green Peas

Jainism and Buddhism both arose in the 6th century in India, and the Jains, especially the ones who are quite orthodox, adhere to particularly strict guidelines about what they can and cannot eat. Anything that grows under the ground is taboo, as the teachings of Mahavira forbid disturbing living things under the earth. (Also taboo are meat, fish, poultry, and eggs.) This rules out garlic, onions, potatoes, and root vegetables, and hence their cooking relies on spices like asafetida (for th