How was it like, for a 10-year old girl born and raised in Singapore, to convert to a full time vegetarian 16 years ago? Meatless Movement spoke with Deepti Chandiramani to find out her story.

It’s like an inner voice telling me it’s the right decision
@dcveggieworld

Tell us about yourself, please

Hello, my name is Deepti Chandiramani and I am a full-time Vegetarian since 2005.

I am born and raised in Singapore and converted to Vegetarianism due to religious reasons. I do not consume meat, eggs and alcohol. It’s been 16 years since becoming a vegetarian and I have not looked back.

I was 10 years old when I made the decision to convert. It was an intuitive one almost like an inner voice telling me it’s the right decision. It was not all roses at the beginning. I was in Primary 4 and I remember struggling to buy food from the canteen. School food stalls back then were not vegetarian friendly and I had to rely on my mother to pack snacks for recess and lunch if I needed to stay on for extra-curricular activities. This initial period was hard. I started requesting for vegetarian food for school camps and excursion.

When I had converted, I made the choice to be disciplined about it
@dcveggieworld

My friends and peers were least receptive and almost judgmental to my decision. Let it be known that we were a bunch of 10-year olds and ‘Vegetarian’ was not a common term used in everyday language. I had periodically experienced social stress surrounding my initial transition period. However, this faded when I entered secondary school and started the journey telling everyone that I am a vegetarian. It was a lot easier for people to accept it even if they did not understand it.

As far as food goes, I struggled for a few years with finding eggless cakes. Each time I walked past the neighbourhood bakery, the whiff of fresh baked good and cakes was simply irresistible. When I had converted, I made the choice to be disciplined about it. I am that lady who reads the ingredient of every product before purchasing it because I wanted to make sure the food product did not contain meat, eggs or alcohol. As a kid, I was head over heels when it came to cakes. If there was one food that had nearly broke my discipline multiple times, it was cake.

Every birthday party, wedding or occasion, the cake served was not eggless. Till date, I am appalled by my perseverance to stick to my diet. Gradually the notion of Vegetarianism, Veganism and Allergy-friendly became common terminologies in modern businesses. This started the trend of bakeries creating eggless products to suit the varying needs of consumers. For this, I am incredibly grateful to the level of awareness Vegetarianism and Veganism has brought. I am now spoilt for choices when it comes to sourcing eggless cakes. #satisfiedsoul

Beyond the struggle of finding eggless cakes, I love my journey of being a vegetarian. I am a full-on foodie and never stop exploring new places and foods to try. It amazes me how creative and delicious a dish can be made entirely from the power of plant. Even though so many restaurants serve Instagram-worthy dishes, my heart will always go towards local cuisine at food courts and Hawker Centres.

My all-time favourite stall is Su Man Yuan Vegetarian at the basement of Peoples Park Centre. The food is affordable and the Uncle at the stall is extremely generous with the helpings. I love to Da-bao (take-away) the Mee Goreng from this stall. It has just the right spice kick that leaves you wanting more. Their Cai Fan, Fried Rice and Laksa take an equally important standing in their menu that is just not to be missed.

For those who want to try – start small and simple
@dcveggieworlD

In my 16 years of being Vegetarian, I have met many people who have shown interest or converted to the diet for a multitude of reasons: religion, health, animal-lover and etc. My advise for those to want to try the diet – start small and simple. So many people fall under the notion that they have to use plant-based meats to cook something vegetarian. That is not true. You can start by having one vegetarian meal a week.

Explore the food and hawkers centres around your areas and patronise the Vegetarian stalls. Pick your favourite dish and veggies and you’re all set! If you want to cook, most recipes require some tweaks. Instead of using chicken stock – use vegetable stock. Instead of eggs, use tofu and instead of meat, use beans. There are infinite ways to be a vegetarian and get the right amount of nutrients all while maintaining the budget.

And if you ever need ideas of recipes or food places to visit, check out my Instagram Account @dcveggieworld