Nixing Dairy

Dairy is universally used throughout Indian cuisine, but it is not compatible with a vegan lifestyle, for ethical, health, and environmental reasons.²¹–²⁴ Dairy milk is a wonderful source of nutrition for calves, but I believe most of us should leave it as such. The modern-day dairy industry is problematic, not only because of the immense amount of resources it takes to produce a single glass of cow’s milk (compared to a glass of nondairy milk), but also because of the ethical issues with artificially inseminating cows over and over to keep the dairy production process going. In addition, the large amounts of ghee (clarified butter) and other dairy products in many Indian diets may even explain the prevalence of cardiovascular disease²⁵ among South Asians, despite all the protective spices and legumes. Nondairy milks, tofu, nuts, olive oil, and nutritional yeast can all contribute similar flavors and textures to Indian dishes that dairy otherwise provides, and the finished dish is just as delicious, if not more. Soaked and blended nuts offer a rich creaminess to gravy dishes, but for our nut-free friends, feel free to substitute an equal amount of sunflower seeds or hemp hearts. I also call for using nutritional yeast (a deactivated yeast discussed more on page 15), not typically used in Indian cuisine, to offer a cheesiness that dairy would otherwise provide.