Constance is passionate about Vegetarian cooking. She believes in sharing is caring. To further her efforts in promoting meatless diets and love for animals, she has created a FaceBook group to bring like-minded contributors together to share Vegan or Vegetarian food and recipes. Meatless Movement recently had the opportunity to chat with her.
Please tell us more about yourself
I’m Constance from Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. I am a vegetarian by choice. Nowadays, I spend most of my time cooking & baking (homemaker). I used to travel very often for work. During those days, I would steal some free time to hunt for places to eat. I snapped pictures of foods and shared them on my vegetarian food journal.
The main reason for being vegetarian is my love & compassion towards the innocent animals. They have the capacity to feel pain, happiness and love. We have to be their voices.
I have been a vegetarian for over 30 years now. Looking back, even though being one can be a challenge, but it’s not impossible. I would like to think that someone must have watched over me, because I didn’t go out of food, otherwise I would be hungry all the time.
When I first became a vegetarian, it wasn’t easy to find a decent meal. That was when I began to explore more about meatless recipes and opt to cook a meal at home instead of going out to eat as often as I could.
I did not attend any formal cooking classes. When I taste a dish I could cook them. So to me, it’s an instinct. YouTube helps too. Most important of all, I learned to cook from my mother, who prepared mouth watering dishes for me.
Any tips to help your friends start eating a meatless diet?
I feel so blessed being one myself. If I could, I would treat them to a yummy yet healthy meatless meal. I want them to know how fortunate I am, being able to enjoy good food and still be perfectly healthy without meat.
Adopting a wholefood, meatless diet isn’t just about health, it’s also one of the best things we can do for the environment.
Start simple. Try adding more plants to your meals, while at the same time cutting down meat. Incorporate more whole grains, tempeh, tofu, beans, legumes, seeds and nuts into your diet.
What are your favourite vegetarian food?
Since I’m from Malaysia, let me recommend three dishes that are popular in this part of the world.
Pink Rosebud Rice with Banchan
Nutrional Value for Red dragon fruit, adapted from specialty produce: Red Dragon fruit contains high amounts of vitamin C and has a high fiber content.
They are also a good source of potassium and phosphorus, as well as other minerals and B-complex vitamins.
It’s rich in protein, antioxidants (from the betacyanins), lycopene and carotene which help improving the health of the eyes and skin, including protecting the skin from ultraviolet damage.
Ingredients
- 2 bowls of cooked rice
- 1 cup of red dragon fruit, mashed
- Handful of chopped Choysum
- 2 eggs (optional)
Instructions
- In a wok, fry the eggs, separate the yolk and the white and set aside.
- Lightly cook the Choysum, season to taste, set aside.
- In the same wok, cook with rice and seasoning, pour a little water if it’s too dry.
- Turn off the flame, add the dragon fruit, mix it well and toss the remaining ingredients with tlc. And we’re done!
Banchan:
- Korean Gim Gui (Roasted seaweeds)
- Homemade Kkakdugi (daikon kimchii)
- Red Spinach
Nutrition Information
Yield
1Serving Size
1Amount Per Serving Calories 1034Total Fat 12gSaturated Fat 4gTrans Fat 0gUnsaturated Fat 7gCholesterol 372mgSodium 156mgCarbohydrates 196gFiber 6gSugar 11gProtein 31g
Gado-Gado!
It’s a salad that most people either young or old would love! It’s also packed with lots of nutrients and so delicious!
I can’t recall where i first had Gado-Gado but I used to eat in Bali & Jakarta. The ingredients used for Gado-Gado are all my favourites. There you go
Ingredients
- Raw cucumber
- fried tempeh & tofu
- boiled rice Vermicelli (to replace ketupat),
- blanched water spinach & cabbage,
- boiled eggs & potatoes and never forget the most important of all,
- the peanut sauce dressing!
Ingredients for peanut dressing:
- 150-200g peanuts butter
- 2 stalks lemongrass, bruised
- 1 inch galangal, bruised
- 100g coconut milk
- 80g sambal
- 10g molasses sugar
Instructions
- Salt to taste Saute lemongrass & galangal for 3mins.
- Mix the remaining ingredients over medium low heat.
- Bring to simmer then cook for 5 minutes, stirring regularly, until it thickens. If too thick, just add more water
Nutrition Information
Yield
1Serving Size
1Amount Per Serving Calories 177405Total Fat 14963gSaturated Fat 2350gTrans Fat 9gUnsaturated Fat 10813gCholesterol 225mgSodium 125466mgCarbohydrates 6536gFiber 2531gSugar 1497gProtein 7344g
Low Carb Nasi Lemak
Low Carb Nasi Lemak
Ingredients
- 50g coconut oil (add in when the rice is done)
- 200g Basmati (India Gate)
- 10g Butterfly pea flower
- Handful screwpine leaves
- 2 inches ginger, bruised
- Season to taste Sambal (to blend):
- Handful of Pineapple/1 Apple
- 50g Chilli powder/dried chilli
- 5 fresh chillies
- 5 bird’s eye chilli
- 1 stalk lemongrass
- 1 inch turmeric/
- ½ tsp powder (Feel free to add onions/garlic)
Instructions
Method
- Saute the rempah/blended paste until oil separated or about 15-20mins.
- When it’s ready you may add any suitable ingredients as you like.
Garnishes :
- Veg Anchovies Peanuts Sauteed Fried Tempe Cucumber Kang kung (water spinach)
- Hardboiled egg (optional)
Nutrition Information
Yield
1Serving Size
1Amount Per Serving Calories 4555Total Fat 263gSaturated Fat 108gTrans Fat 0gUnsaturated Fat 96gCholesterol 605mgSodium 13297mgCarbohydrates 334gFiber 42gSugar 72gProtein 237g
Please visit my IG page for more of such creations.
Vegan & Veggie Homecooking
Vegan & Vegetarian Daily Bread
Food #Art #Bake #Cook #v #素食者 explore in taste. #spicy #sweet #sour #savoury #bitter #umami #❤️
all images courtesy of Vegan & Veggie Homecooking