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Look around and you will find a restaurant serving local dishes such as nasi ayam, sambal udang and kari kambing. While the average Malaysians go crazy for them, there are others who do not … like me. At least, not anymore.
But hold on – I do not try to marah for eating meat. No, this is not the purpose of this article. Do not close this tab for now! 
Two years ago, I made the personal choice to become a vegetarian. Now you may be wondering how crazy I would be if I did not indulge in the irresistible crisp chicken . I had used to eat meat and I thought I would never be a full time vegetarian.
"Are not you going to eat that?" Nope. (Image Source: Medium)
But all of this changed when I started having repulsive feelings towards meat. The first time I envisioned being vegetarian, I was standing near the meat section in a hypermarket. The smell and the sight there triggered a question in my mind: "Why am I even eating meat?". The last resort was when I had a dream involving a living sparrow and a piece of fried chicken breast, which struck a chord in me: "What's the difference between these two guys?". It was at that time that I decided to make the meat swear.
Fortunately, for me, I started being vegetarian on the first day of a nine-day Hindu festival, so I was able to facilitate my style of life when my non vegetarian members were vegetarians during this sacred holiday. Festival. But after some time, I started to face difficulties (which have nothing to do with meat cravings ).
It's very funny to continue to be vegetarian in this country despite what sources say online. The veg-friendly Malaysia. Vegan Food Quest claims that Malaysia is a "total paradise for the vegan food-loving traveler". A study by Oliver & # 39; s Travels of the Global Vegetarian Index ranks Malaysia as the third most accommodating country for vegetarians
But why do I still have difficulties ?!
It's so relatable. (Image Source: The Odyssey)
1. People immediately throw their eyes on me. <img src = "https://cilisos.my/wp-includes/images/smilies/frownie.png" alt = ": (19459056)
Well, not to my face, thankfully, but you understand what I mean
I often tease about my lifestyle choice, make omnivores understand how I eat meat trying to answer their ridiculous questions and support their remarks ( like their attempts to confront me with cultures having feelings and suggest that I take a pescetarian diet (consisting of herbal foods, dairy products, eggs and fruits of sea) just because the fish do not "smell anything" )
One of the many jokes that the internet does about vegetarians … I do not miss steak (Source of the # 39, image: http://1.bp.blogspot.com)
My friend, the decision to become a vegetarian goes beyond the notion of "saving several reasons to be vegetarian.Aside from ethical concerns, it can be for health, for the environment, for rel religious and cultural beliefs, or only personal taste.
But if you're on Facebook or on mem pages for quite a long time, you know that vegetarians are constantly mocked. So why am I still being bullied? This could be because …
2. I'm surrounded by people who have the bad idea of vegetarianism.
They do not understand. I know people who seem to think that we eat salad me. But we also makan fruits, kacang, rice, noodles, pasta, pizzas, hamburgers, idlis, thosais, puttus, paus, kuihs, cakes, ice cream, biscuits, sambal (without ikan bilis and belacan, of course) , mushrooms, and so on.
" Oh, I do not think the vegetarian food is delicious ".
I'm craving a vegetarian pizza now. (Image source: Giphy)
They also tend to misunderstand what constitutes a vegetarian diet . There are several types of vegetarianism ( following levels ):
- Veganism: only plant sources and also way of living ( clothing without animals, boycott zoos and circuses, avoid products tested on animals). Nothing was taken (and exploited) from animals at all .
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- Lacto-vegetarianism: vegan + dairy . No eggs, no flesh.
- Ovo-vegetarianism: vegan + eggs . No dairy, no flesh.
- Lacto-ovo-vegetarianism: Lacto + ovo Vegetarianism. Vegan, dairy products and eggs. Just no flesh.
- Flexitarianism / Semi-vegetarianism and Reducetarism: Lacto-ovo-vegetarianism + a little meat but less than the meat fanatic eats
According to the Reducetarian Foundation FAQ, the flexitarians and reducetarians are different flexitarians eat primarily plant-based foods and occasionally, some animal-based products, while reducers slowly reduce their consumption of animal-based foods.
- Pesca / pescetarianism (Lacto-ovo-vegetarianism + Seafood ) and / or pollotarianism (Lacto-ovo-vegetarianism + Poultry ) are technically non-vegetarian but may be considered as flexitarian or semi-vegetarian.
Thai Red Ruby dessert is vegan, you know?
I am not vegan (I am actually a lacto-vegetarian) regarding my diet, but I personally believe in avoiding the use of products that involve animal exploitation. Once upon a time, my family and I were on vacation in Bandung, Indonesia and I told my father that visiting the luwak coffee farm might not be a good idea because of the weather. uncertainty about how civets are treated. have misperceptions about the impact on health of vegetarianism. They associate vegetarians with terms like "weak", "lean", "iron deficient" and "sick". They are false . With the right proportions and combinations of nutrients derived from plant-based foods, vegan bodybuilders (remember, vegan milk and eggs ah) like Natalie Matthews and Jon Venus prove you do not have to do compromise between health and the physical. , ethical and environmental concerns and food pleasure. In conjunction with World Vegetarian Day (Oct. 1), The Sun (citing AFP Relaxnews) has listed five vegetarian foods that ensure that no nutrients are left behind and that it's safe to eat. Soy, various vegetables, legumes, seeds and cereals. (Image Source: Vegan Bodybuilding)
3. Because of all that, Deepavali can be a little … pening.
You know that bored feeling you feel when at your family dinners, your parents are having trouble with marital statuses like "Do you have a boyfriend / girlfriend ah?" Go get married, laaahh! "I know this one with a girl. Can I ask him for you "and" Bila dapat anak? "
I felt the same thing when my peeps asked me why I was becoming vegetarian and was making a lot of jokes about it.
Sometimes I have to say quickly" NO! I am vegetarian! "To people who have almost put a meatball like this on my plate. (Image source: Satisfaction of Curlybabe)
There are annoying moments when no one orders or cooks a vegetarian dish for you.This time, the tofu dish came with small pieces of chicken in. Or when grandmother wanted kangkung BELACAN at a family dinner in a Thai restaurant and I could not uh oh …
Sometimes all I can get is kailan and tofu
As most non-vegetarians I know do not find vegetarianism appealing, it's hard to convince them to go to a vegetarian or vegan restaurant – want to go to. So rather than "doing the adjustments ", it is actually the vegetarian who must occupy the limits of the restauran t non-veg which brings me to my next point.
4. It is not easy to find a restaurant suitable for vegetables.
As I mentioned at the beginning, Malaysia is the third most welcoming country in the world. But it is surprising that as a vegetarian, I have trouble looking for vegetables in conventional restaurants.
I can try to search for vegetarian dishes on the menu or to request a vegetarian version ] of a particular dish. But how many restaurants meet my needs? HappyCow, an online platform that helps people find plant-friendly outlets, gives only 1,385 vegan, vegetarian and vegetarian restaurant listings across the COUNTRY (which is likely to have millions of restaurants); on which there are 119 veg-friendly restaurants listed that I hope to meet.
Presentation of "mihun goreng sayur-sayuran sahaja".
Sometimes I have trouble explaining "vegetarian" at the local restaurant or at the booth vendors when ordering food. As I mentioned earlier, not everyone has the same understanding of vegetarianism since there are different types. It was funny (but also frustrating) when a waitress asked me if I ate fish after telling him I'm a vegetarian.
Grace had it too. (Image Source: BuzzFeed)
And it's heartbreaking when the salesmen say that they can not accommodate because they always cook on the autopilot ( like oil, spices, herbs, BELACAN, kangkung, tauge, CHICKEN, noodles, kicap!). Robochef, can not change the settings ah?
This terrible sentence! (Source Image: Giphy)
Even though they agree to do a Maggi Goreng, their sense of innovation is questioned.
Where are the cubes of tofu? , vegetables and mixed mushrooms? : "(19659008) Subway Malaysia's Veggie Delite is the only vegetarian option served, which is just a Subway Sandwich with the usual veggies and without the protein base. Where are the Vegetable Patties? Not here in Malaysia.
[19659022] 5. Speaking of innovation, where can I find the variety?
I have noticed that there are always about 10 options for non-vegetarians in each section (chicken, seafood, beef, etc.) but 1 or 2 options for vegetarians, restaurants here seem very innovative with their meat dishes but not so innovative with vegetable dishes A study conducted in 2012 by Tourism Educators Association of Malaysia discovered that 86% of full-time vegetarians find that vegetarian food served in traditional restaurants is boring and tasteless due to lack of food. vegetable options
Delicious p Mushroom pesto, this is one of the three vegetarian options of this restaurant. options.
It is h To find the same kind of variety of vegetarian and vegan food products (like vegan cheeses, vegan steaks, tofurks, veggie burgers, etc.) as in western countries as the USA, the UK, Italy etc. Here we have a lot of "simulated meat", but being vegetarian does not just have to be about it. We can use mushrooms, chickpeas, olives, whole grains, beans, sweet potatoes, jackfruit fruits and many more (the possibilities are infinite ).
Tofurky, someone? (Image Source: Giphy)
Regarding veganism in particular, why is vegan food so hard to find in traditional Malay restaurants despite the advent of veganism proclaimed here? This could be due to less consciousness of vegetarianism in general (much less for veganism) as concluded by Manimaran Subramaniam in his research paper. And when I say conscience, I mean the consciousness of those who create dishes as they do and assume that everyone is in agreement to have meat and animal by-products in their food not those who already know veganism and have a mission to share it.
These struggles may seem minor to you
… but it is these struggles that discourage non-vegetarians themselves from being open and hospitable to vegetarianism. Despite the difficulties, I find that vegetarianism is very satisfactory . I have never regretted my decision and I intend to pursue it as long as I wish (maybe the only regret I could have as a vegetarian is from enter a restaurant that refuses to meet my diet). This lifestyle attracts you, you may wonder how you can take steps to adopt it. My personal recommendation to you would be to make gradual changes . You can start by being reductive or flexitarian, then become lacto-ovo-vegetarian, lacto-vegetarian or ovo-vegetarian and / or vegan. The Internet is full of guides that you can use to find out how to cook vegetables at home, how to be vegetarian in certain places (like restaurants or travel destinations) and / or to search Countries friends of vegetables visit and indulge. In the end, it's your choice, so do what works for you
My hope for our society is that we become more accepting and considerate of each other's differences .
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