Ahaan Jay - Vegetarian Food

[Neeranam]

I heard that the Thai/Chinese Vegetarian Festival has started already, although I haven't seen any of those little yellow flags to show that they are in fact selling no meat.

Another year has passed without me getting to Phuket to see the guys sticking whatever comes to hand through their cheeks.

Are you going to be a veggie for 10 days? What's the point?

I was a veggie for years until I came to Thailand.

Anyone been to Phuket to watch this chinese thing?

Are there manyChinese there?

[Goldenbead]

The festival started on Sunday I think. My local veggie lady turns her place into a restaurant for the duration of the festival. I buy food from her regularly at this time. Her husband is a medium and takes part in the parades in Phuket Town. He does the spears through the cheek thing.

Towards the end of the 10 days, I usually pass some parades on the road on the way to work. Don't really seek it out these days as I have been there and done that. It is pretty gruesome to watch IMO. I once saw a guy walking along chopping his tounge with a very sharp axe and he was bleeding profusely all down his front. That was on the last day of the festival. Freaky.

There are quite a lot of Chinese Thais in Phuket Town and in the Thalang area.

[BambinA]

Are you going to be a veggie for 10 days? What's the point?

for me, im not strict ..it depends from where am i that time ..if i have to stay around Jay-food place, i will eat it .. if i stay around normal food place, i still eat it also ..and if i go out with Vegetarain people , i have no prob to eat Veg. food with them

well ..some Jay food is too oily for me .. alway put too much old

BTW its funny thing that people try to eat jay coz they want to do "good karma" ..by quit to eat animal ..but obviously many Jay food has "animal" shape lookalike example , BBQ piglet Jay , Duck Roast Jay , Fish Jay ..etc ...seem people still cant quit their thought from "Meat" food ..

Bambi

[awarrumbungle]

It's started and it's raining tofu. It's amazing what they can make it taste like. I had tofu which I swore tasted, smelt and looked like fish last night. It even had tofu skin.

I used to be vegie too. Wish this food was available not only during the festival.

[SiamOne]

It's started and it's raining tofu.  It's amazing what they can make it taste like. I had tofu which I swore tasted, smelt and looked like fish last night.  It even had tofu skin.

I used to be vegie too. Wish this food was available not only during the festival.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

I am in KL at the moment. There are Chinese restaurants that sell Tofu based food all year. As you say, they make it just like meat, fish and fowl.

weird but nice , and cheap

so maybe can find in Chinatown

[awarrumbungle]

there ain't no china town where I'm at.

But I do have a feeling there is 1 vego restaurant here.

Even better would be an MSG free restaurant.

[Heng]

Yeah, in the middle of the veggie period now. Not for karma, just for health. It's good to give your body a break from steak once in awhile.

[Neeranam]

I just finished dinner at "cabbages and condoms". I asked the waiter if he had heard of the festival and he had, but nothing at all on their menu.

Still waiting for an English menu. Meechai can't be bothered to send up the one from Bangkok, although I ask every week. Same for the Khon Kaen branch and the Mahasarakham/ Borabeu branch. Although I read Thai, the English is much easier to read.

[buadhai]

Plenty of yellow pennants here in Korat.

We went to one stall for dinner last night and got Gaeng Som and what seemed to be laap "textured vegetable protein". The Gaeng had some spice I didn't much care for but the other ingredients were very nice. The laap was beautiful. Nice and spicy with just the right amount of chewiness. And, it contained none of the mystery organs that I always seem to encounter when consuming minced meat here in LOS.

[ilyushin]

I agree with Heng that it is good to take a break. Your body really starts feeling the fast after the 2nd day. I lasted 11 days last year.

Powered by Tofu crab, shrimp, duck, fish, chicken, bacon , etc...

[aaaaaa]

Are you going to be a veggie for 10 days? What's the point?

I was a veggie for years until I came to Thailand.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

yeah, right - no point to be for 10 days ! what ppl won't do for some beliefs of fashion / trend !

although some consider that doing it for health is better reason - which is actually just one other reason, as good as any....

Bambina - you are right too, it IS funny that some ppl keep attachments while seemingly trying to become detached. and laso - that better honestly eat meat than hypocritically pretend to be vegan for "good karma", while secretely craving for all the non-veg delicacies ....

but please remember - most of these restaurants have to make enough profit to kepp business running - which is not possible by only catering to those who are always vegeterian. majority of their customers still remains those who are not - and who still keep attachments to the taste of meat etc. so, chefs must do some trick to satisfy them....

however it doesn't mean - vegetarian food can't be cooked as or even more delicious than non-veg, trust me on this - I'm telling you as long time vegetarian and chef myself !

but then, anyway - who nowdays bothers with cooking his / her own food, especially in Asia, where on every corner there are several food stalls, and food is so cheap, made of fresh stuff and exotically delicious ! asians are simply lazyto be vegetarian - as, Neeranam says why? what's the point ? especially if so many yummy food stuff is around .

other reason is - following western trends of fast food, and "fashion" - like some sort of prestige to go eat in McDonald or whatever else is considered "trendy" among Thais .

I recall some newspaper few years ago giving statistics of "reversal" in attitudes: while traditionally predominantly vegetarian asians more and more eat meat and burgers and KFCs, following Western culture or tastes - westerners enreasingly prefer to become vegans, organics, wholesome food etc.... perhaps after some time Asians again start to follow that Western "new fashion" ?

[Plus+]

I like veggy fish, chicken, and other stuff because it tastes good on its own, I don't think I secretly crave for the real meat - I honeslty don't remember the taste.

This year there are definitely less "jay" stalls in my area, and it's the same in our local mall.

In my mind I quickly put it down to general moral decay assossiated with Taksin's rule.

[Kan Win]

Ahh, now what about slices of Rare “Beef" tomatoes topped with “Lambs Tongues”

And lettuce not forget the afters

Veal Meat again some Sunny Day etc. as the song goes

Yours truly,

Kan Win