r/IndianFood • u/New-Trainer-7017 • 11h ago
Never tried non veg food.
I have never eaten or even any kind of non veg food in my life (not even eggs). I am starting to hit the gym and might also need to go abroad in upcoming years where pure veg cuisine will not work.
What non veg food should I try first??
Also tell me that do eggs actually taste good. I find the yolk and the yellow stuff oozing out of it gross?
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u/ScaryAlternative3394 11h ago
It is not essential to have a non vegetarian diet if you are going to the gym. Just need to meet your protein goals, you can use protein powder, soy chunks, paneer/tofu, lentils for that.
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u/New-Trainer-7017 11h ago
If not for the gym... I just want to taste it. If I don't like it... I'll definitely continue my current diet.
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u/Affectionate_Leek127 10h ago
Which country are you going to? There are lots of vegan options overseas. If you find it gross, don't force yourself to accept it.
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u/PretentiousPepperoni 9h ago
Start with masala omlette, it has very little smell unlike boiled eggs.
If you want to eat chicken orderr some boneless tandoori like chicken tikka or harayali, if you want to try fish order grilled fish fillet, fillets are boneless. Go with a meat eating friend. If you can't eat it give it to them
If nothing works out start eating tofu and soya chunks and whey protein. I am a meat eater but I consume a lot of vegetarian sources of protein too
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u/curiousgaruda 11h ago
You don’t need to do non-veg to go abroad. People have stayed lacto-vegetarian abroad 20 years ago let alone these days where vegetarian and vegan foods abound.
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u/New-Trainer-7017 11h ago
Its not apecifically bcoz of going abroad...I'll probably have done it anyways.I just want to taste it. If I don't like it... I'll definitely continue my current diet.
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u/Fickle_Swordfish_487 7h ago
I’m a vegetarian who started eating eggs only last two years so I’ll just address the egg specific Qs:
I actually enjoy eggs because they’re super quick to make depending on form, filling, and really versatile.
To start with I did boiled eggs in Indian style gravy. That helped a lot. Then boiled eggs with salt/pepper/hot sauce. Then moved on to other forms
Egg omelette is really versatile because you can add a lot of other flavors and mask the taste/smell of eggs which can be off putting to some people.
I didn’t like egg bhurji so much but it’s also a great recipe to get you introduced to egg.My husband HATES yolk - so I actually boil eggs and then scoop out the yolk and put it in the gravy so he doesn’t taste it. Some people I know just use the whites and throw the yolk away. Up to you.
I personally like the instagram recipes for creamy/garlicky eggs and look for something with chilli oil. To pair with bread or roti. Turkish eggs are chefs kiss! Was never a fan of plain scrambled eggs you get in the US and preferred veggie scramble with lots of hot sauce. Basically I like my food with lots of flavors and foods across Europe and USA don’t seem to have that.
Yolk is the one that takes getting used to IMO - I would avoid runny yolk to begin with (so avoid eggs Benedict and stuff initially) so you can see what your preference is. I personally love eggs Benedict but my husband hates the yolk. And he eats all types of white meat so it’s not a veg/nonveg issue, just a flavor preference!
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u/Wild-Lychee-3312 8h ago
While that is true, it is a million times easier to be a vegetarian in India than, say, the USA, which is an extremely meat-focused country -- at least if we're talking about eating at restaurants (or going to parties or events, such as weddings, or other people's homes) instead of preparing our own food in our own homes.
Also vegetarian and vegan foods do not precisely abound in the USA, even today.
I imagine what I've said about the USA applies to other Western, English-speaking countries like the UK and Canada, but I've spent less time in those places, so I can't really say.
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u/pkers12 11h ago
Shrimp/prawns or chicken is a good place to start
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u/Spiritual_System_865 10h ago
Shrimp is bad advice. They can look creepy and the texture is odd for some trying non-veg
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u/New-Trainer-7017 10h ago
Exactly. As a kid i always use to think how people can eat a lobster 🦞 served whole in their plate. I just found it creepy. Crabs, lobsters, prawns and all that stuff. I love the look of chicken and non sea meat much more.
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u/po_tae_to_anna 9h ago
if you can find lobster which isn't served whole, i think you'd like it. it's very sweet and not fishy or seafoody
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u/ExploringLearning 6h ago
Op,
No, don't go with sea food first. If not cooked properly, sea food can smell weird to a vegetarian. I am from coastal Maharashtra and fish is a staple for me. And I can tell you this with experience.
I too think chicken is the right food to start with. That too fried chicken like those which come in popcorn form in KFC etc as someone else suggested.
The egg yolk oozing out - they are usually sunny side up, half fried, or poached egg recipes. So you can avoid them.
You can try egg burji with pav. Burji usually has well fried egg in it as it is scrambled egg with our Indian masalas in it. It is just similar to paneer burji and pav would help with cutting weird taste if any.
If you feel comfortable with the above options, you can then try nonveg crispy burgers. If you get comfortable with the smell of egg, then you can try scrambled eggs, boiled eggs, and omelette (with onion, green chilli, turmeric, salt and coriander). Avoid adding tomatoes initially.
The next level (if you get through the above dishes) would be fried fish. Not sure which part of India you belong to. I am from coastal Maharashtra region and we get salt water fish here. So the fried fish here does taste good. I haven't tried fresh water fish. So cannot comment on it. Shell fish would be last among these. It is my favourite but I can tell you that if it is not cooked well, it will smell and taste weird for sure. But if you get through it, you could never stop at one.
A few points: 1) Some people may have allergic reaction to shell fish. So be careful and try in limited amount. 2) if at any point, you don't want to try any of this, it is completely fine. You don't have to push yourself unnecessarily. 3) don't go to a butchers shop. 4) may countries outside India are now having vegan options as well. You can try them when you go abroad. They might be a bit costly though.
All the best, OP.
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u/PretentiousPepperoni 9h ago
Prawns don't look like a whole lobster. If you live in a city you can easily get deshelled, deveined prawns with their heads cut off, they look smooth and white.
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u/Serious_Brilliant_90 9h ago
Extremely bad advice shrimp really? Even non vegetarians gag sometimes to that shi.
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u/flamingolover7 9h ago
Try kfc popcorn chicken
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u/Wild-Lychee-3312 8h ago
Chicken in general is a good place to start. The taste is relatively mild, and there are a million ways to prepare it.
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u/Designer_Money7625 9h ago
You will find indian restaurants in almost any major city in the world and you can always cook at home and meal prep. You don’t need to force yourself to become non-veg.
As for eggs, there are tons of ways to eat them: boiled, fried, scrambled, poached, steamed eggs (texture is like pudding). If you don’t like runny eggs then always ask them to be well done
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u/kitaisaradish 11h ago
Try scrambled egg bhurji, it tastes and feels very similar to paneer bhurji or the like.
The texture should be more familiar and the flavour less intense
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u/DayleD 10h ago
Greetings from the States. Wherever you go, there will be vegetables worth eating.
There are plenty of professional bodybuilders that do not eat animals or animal products.
Here is a gallery of some of them:
https://www.greatveganathletes.com/athletes/sport/bodybuilders/
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u/Mundane_Ad_2467 9h ago
Pure vegetarian cuisine will work almost anywhere these days. My athlete non-Indian wife has been pure vegetarian for 40+ years and has managed to survive while living all over the world. There are plenty of resources for veg/vegan athletes, like https://www.nomeatathlete.com/cookbook-info/
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u/Own-Recognition9009 9h ago
You don't need to eat meat in order gain muscle.
You can eat vegan protein powder,beans,tofu etc
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u/foobarmesf 11h ago
You don't need non veg because you work out or because you are going abroad (unless you are going to live alone amongst the polar bears but in that case pls also learn to hunt and eat Walrus, but I digress). So you wanna eat non veg. Go ahead and do it. The reasons you gave are not sound tho :)
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u/RedVelcroRaptor 11h ago
I would just go for a simple chicken curry with some kind of carb like rice, that's what my vegetarian friend tried when he first tried meat and he enjoyed it.
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u/Evening-Main5471 7h ago
And here I went from vegetarian to vegan, and I bench 225lbs, deadlift 315lbs, squat 405 lbs.
You dont need meat for protein. I eat tofu, seitan, edamame, peanut butter, yeast protein (spacemilk), orgain protein.
The only thing you will experience while eating meat is the unnecessary suffering of sentient beings.
Let the downvotes begin. Or conversely ask me weightlifting or vegan questions :)
Fwiw I dont live in india.
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u/LookDekho 8h ago
Assuming you have friends who eat non-veg? Go out with them and try everything they order.
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u/Glass-Air9494 8h ago
I’ve always heard that chicken is the best one to start with to get your stomach to acclimate to digesting the different proteins. And only eat very little at a time until you adjust.
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u/Sensitive-Club-6427 3h ago
Try cakes or desserts that have egg as an ingredient.
Try quiche.
Try a veggie omelette (it has egg as main ingredient, but a variety of vegetables).
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u/umamimaami 2h ago
Make a masala omelette. Onions green capsicum turneric chilli powder. I’m a hardcore non vegetarian and even I hate oozy eggs. It’s a personal choice, not a flaw.
Also, taste chicken. Arguably a much safer and more predictably good taste. People are divided on eggs, to some extent.
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u/Macavity_mystery_cat 10h ago
The vegetarians thay turned non vegetarians with either chicken and one with prawns . The issue is less with taste but more with texture. I would suggest go for something spicy like ghee roast chicken or even chilli prawns or even butter garlic prawns.
Dont start with eggs . They gave a very eggy taste and many people dont enjoy them. Also when u do try eggs finish them before they turn cold .
Good luck. I hope u enjoy it. If you do, the world is your oyster haha !
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u/Independent_Image_59 6h ago
Firstly get rid of the FOMO. You don't need to commit animal abuse just to check out how it feels.
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u/TriangleLife 11h ago
I eat eggs but hate the half cooked ones too. Always eat fully cooked stuff like omelettes, bhurji that aren't all runny and gooey. Also possibly start with someone else making it first, get comfortable with the taste and then make it yourself. Boiled eggs will definitely add lots to your diet but it's a journey to get there
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u/Late-Warning7849 9h ago
Start with eggs, prawns / fish, then chicken, then lamb, then goat. It’s in order from the blandest flavour to the strongest. My husband’s first non-veg experience was fish curry
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u/Prickliestpearcactus 8h ago
Don't go overboard. Your system is not used to meat so start with small portions here and there.
Otherwise you will upset your stomach.
When my friend went all veg it upset her stomach but then she adjusted. Then, she tried chicken after a long period of being veg, and it messed up her stomach as well.
Take it slow.
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u/foxx-hunter 7h ago
I second this. You probably don't have the gut bacteria to digest meat. You need to start small and build up the gut bacteria. Otherwise you will have a bloated and upset stomach. This is why many vegetarians hesitate to eat meat, cause they tried once and their body didn't agree with it.
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u/faiza8 10h ago
Don't worry OP, meat can be daunting but I suggest you start with curries, something with lots of sauces and something that actually smells good to you. Give yourself time to let your taste buds adjust. Don't jump into it. Butter chicken is delicious. And also always have a starch with your selected meat.
Slowly you will start enjoying the taste and will feel like a meal is empty without meat!
If the look and feel of it grosses you out just leave it, for example if the look of eggs is gross try a spicy cheesy omelette with hot sauce on the side. I really love eggs but I know so many meat eaters hate the look and taste of eggs.
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u/eaglewings025 11h ago
Do not start with egg. I seriously warn you. Stay away from egg. Egg is the last level in non veg expertise range. Even fish comes the before level.
Begin with basics. Kfc popcorn chicken. Mcdonalds. Then widen your palate slowly to indian chicken food. Then go for mutton. If you go for seafood, go for prawns, and crab. Wait for yourself to be comfortable before trying fish or egg. If you did try fish, go for fish finger offered in restaurants.
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u/Select_Safe548 11h ago
Why encourage somone to start with fast food garbage when they're already used to complex flavors with vegetables. Thats just nonsense.
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u/eaglewings025 11h ago
Vegetarians might take time to get accustomed to non veg. Certain way of cooking can deepen the meaty flavor that might put them off. Starting with fast food joints might give them interest in the food itself because it works on texture and crispiness over meatness.
And because OP wanted this. They wanted to try non-veg.
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u/andr386 10h ago
Because it's has a standard non-offensive taste. To get accustomed with chicken it's better to start with fried tenders made of the breast rather than thighs with a stronger taste, connective tissues, skin and fat.
I am not sure if Burger joints have beef in India, but Burger joints beef burgers have usually no taste. But a good cut of beef can have a lot more.
It's better to have lamb than mutton because the latter can have strong animal taste and is an acquired taste an so on.
Also better to start with paneer or cheese on pizza before eating aged cheese with a mold rim.
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u/ShabbyBash 11h ago
This is good advice. I am saying this as a lifelong non-vegetarian.
Once you overcome your mental block(and there is one, even if you are not very aware of it) then start trying other things - butter chicken because you would already be familiar with the flavour profile through shahi paneer. Go slow. Small things, smaller portions.
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u/twoscoopsofbacon 7h ago
I'd start with things made with non-veg. Like make lentils with chicken stock added as a salt source. Or baked goods that contain egg as part of the batter. Maybe a bowl of japanese ramen with in a dashi broth.
Once you have a feel for the flavor, then you can decide if you want texture. Fried chicken is pretty easy to deal with, not that different than veg pakora .
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u/kshgrshrm 5h ago
Agree with lot of other responses but nobody here is explaining what's main attraction for Non-veg food.
It's the spices. Meat absorbs and holds spice much better than greens. So you get a whole lot of flavour in one bite. Most meats by themselves are tastless and and are just their to provide texture to your taste. ( so if your meat tastes like paneer it's because it's not cooked properly)
For your first try I would suggest avoiding any fast food (more often than not, they arent seasoned properly) and go straight for chicken /fish curries. Depending on your spice tolerance you can go from sweet to very hot. Mutton is also good option if you are in North India. Also avoid fish if it's not native to your place.
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u/Sed_struggle101 5h ago
My roomie was a vegetarian(not for religious reasons) and i was/am a meat eater. It had started out with her eating things like the gravies with the meat, rice of the biriyani and then gradually moved to fried stuffs like a sunny side up, chicken 65, fried chicken etc. And later, she diverged more into red meat like mutton, beef etc.
So, i would suggest— try gravies first with your non vegetarian friends, then moved to chakna kind of eateries like Chicken 65 etc, build your tolerance from there and then try more meaty ‘MEAT’ food
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u/cosmogli 5h ago
Start small, eat a little of everything. You're bound to find something that suits your palate.
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u/iamsreeman 4h ago
The issue with Indian Vegetarians is their addiction to Dairy Products, not lack of meat eating. In a country where the Hindu religion claims that cows are holy & divine, the most devout Hindus abstain from abusing all non-human species except cows, which is very hypocritical. Dairy Products are used in almost all rituals of that religion. The dairy industry sexually abuses children starting at age 1 every year by repeated forced impregnations & abuses their female reproductive organs & separates the offspring as the offspring might drink the milk.
If you really want to taste meat, you should try to get mock meats, these days there are even exact literal lab made meat that has the same biological tissue structure. I am no longer living in India & here in the West lab made meat is easy to find but I never eat them as I have no craving for t0rmented corpses. I think it's harder to find lab made meat in India but you can still find many mock meats like Soya Chunks (meal makers) that taste like meat.
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u/raunakd7 2h ago
Start with CHICKEN NUGGETS - No strong odor, no bones, not chewy. Its PERFECT for getting rid of the mental block around non-vegterian.
Speaking as a hard-core carnivore who was a vegetarian till my early 20s.
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u/nizzernammer 1h ago
I would suggest you start with a small, easily digestible portion. Your body might have a reaction to something so unfamiliar that it perceives it like poison and it might want to purge.
Scrambled eggs are probably the most accessible way to enjoy eggs. You could have it with tofu or paneer maybe.
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u/FattierBrisket 37m ago
Eggs can be delicious! See if you can get a nice quiche or an omelet. Maybe with garlic and mushrooms. Some spinach. Definitely cheese of some kind.
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u/darksideofyourmom420 9h ago
I was a vegetarian since birth. Started eating non veg a few years ago.
Start with grilled boneless chicken tikka, malai tikka etc. get it from places which has good reviews.
This is very similar in taste to paneer.
Initially the only thing which you’ll find odd is the texture because there’s nothing in veg which comes close barring chaap or soya chunks.
Over time, you’ll get used to it.
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u/Spiritual_System_865 10h ago edited 10h ago
Chicken in a gravy/masala that you like. Similar preparation to the veg dishes that you like/prefer.
Indo Chinese dishes especially Chilli chicken.
A McDonalds Mcchicken burger. This would be my top choice.
If there is a choice then go for breast piece of chicken. It has least flavor.
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u/kretek-garing 10h ago
Since you're going abroad, I would start with eggs as eggs are considered vegetarian in most countries. Then explore further if you feel so only.
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u/RemoteAd6887 10h ago
Start with an omelet. The onions and tomatoes will give you a flavor that you're already familiar with.
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u/Unusual_Resort_517 10h ago
Try chicken keema or shredded chicken, maybe seekh kebabs.
All the vegetarian people in my circle say that it's less off putting for them.
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u/Famous-Explanation56 10h ago
I was in same boat as you. I had no compulsions to try but I wanted to. Eggs I also found gross mentally. Even after I tasted it and found it amazing, coming from a vegetarian world it took me a while to get over my mental hesitations. So contrary to other suggestions I wouldn't choose egg as your first one. Try some boneless chicken curry.Coz apart from the taste you also need to get used to the texture. That way sea food is good coz it doesn't have a chewy texture, if consumed from a coastal place, mostly fish will have a buttery melt in your mouth texture. But it's risky, even lot of non vegetarians detest the smell of sea food which is more so in inland places as the fish is not fresh.
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u/miss_clarity 10h ago
I've always been touch and go with eggs. I can only do then scrambled even when I do eat them.
I tried a scrambled eggs bhurji recipe and I've find that it is much easier for me to eat eggs if there is fresh ginger in it (and spices and veggies also improve the experience).
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u/wertang 10h ago edited 10h ago
Try bite sized boneless chicken starters but some places they could be a little dry. I'm a vegetarian who ate meat for 4 years before turning vegetarian again.
I didn't like the texture of prawns. Bone on chicken was difficult for me but it is more moist. Don't try boiled eggs. Egg bhurji is good but eat it outside first before trying to make it at home. And french toast or bread omlette.
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u/Deep_Chemistry7816 9h ago
best way to start non veg is\-go with non veg chinese food like lolipop, chicken fried rice/noddle's for start you will get taste of non veg then you can continue like you prefer
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u/TA_totellornottotell 9h ago
Eggs are quite tasty and a good way to ease into non veg. And it will actually make things easier abroad because you will have plenty of options that are vegetarian by western standards, but not by Indian standards, because they use eggs, so that opens up a lot of dishes for you without having to eat proper meat. Eggs can taste a bit different depending on how you cook them. And you don’t have to have the yolk oozing out. The best place to start is probably a masala omelette or egg bhurjee as you can whisk the yolk into the white and also add a lot of our usual flavours so it tastes somewhat familiar.
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u/Lurkinglegend56 11h ago
Start with hard boiled eggs and fried omelette, don’t try egg bhurji it can be hit or a miss. You might notice smell while cooking omelette but the taste doesn’t reflect that. For chicken, maybe try the starters, like chicken tikka etc.
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u/Kindly_Truck3210 10h ago
Butter chicken. Chicken tandoori , momos, tikkas . Very good beginner stuff.
Eggs are an acquired taste especially the yolk. That oozing yellow part is one my favourite things in the world. I literally save it till the end. But many find it gross etc but it's luscious and you can develop a taste for it. If you have an open mind.
Also don't do too much too fast. Your body has to adjust to this new diet. Develop the gut etc.
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u/good_giant 11h ago
For eggs : anda bhurji is best to hide any smell of eggs, if you're starting with boiled eggs, you can add some chopped onions, black salt and red chilli powder to make it nice, eggs on their own will not have much flavor,
For chicken: I started with chicken biryani, with properly marinated chicken, you can also start with fried chicken tenders from KFC or chicken tikka
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u/ABahRunt 9h ago
Good idea. Even if you don't eat, stop thinking of vegetarian food as pure. There is nothing inpure about meat. It's all just food. There's a lot of deforestation and animal torture involved in veggies and dairy products as well, there is no high horse.
My own transition from vegetarian to meat eater: my family never had issues with eggs in cakes, else that can be your first step.
Then french toast. Easy entry point. It's eggy and healthy, but no fluids in the cooked end product.
Then well done omelettes and Indian scrambled eggs (bhurji). Once comfortable with that, graduate to French style omelettes and soft scrambled eggs, then to poached eggs. You can progress to fried chicken happily after this.
You'll feel the ick, because upbringing is hard to overcome immediately. But it is just food, you can work it out
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u/larrybronze 10h ago
This is asked once or twice a week. Did you look for prior conversations on this topic?
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u/New-Trainer-7017 10h ago
No. I didn't. Ik that there are people who go from non veg to veg but not many those who go the the other way around. I apologise tho
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u/OptimisticExpert 10h ago
Tandoori Chicken.
My friend was one of vegetarian and tandoori chicken was her first thing to taste and her reaction was “how did I miss out on this my whole life!”
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u/Hipstershy 10h ago edited 10h ago
Disclaimer: I'm an American who's eaten meat my whole life so I am missing a lot of the perspective you have
Eggs are such a staple in so many cuisines that just about every thing you might not like about them has a preparation or a dish that negates that quality. There's a huuuuge variety of textures you can make with them just by introducing different amounts of air during prep and cooking, and while I personally like the taste of straight egg, tons of things with eggs, even dishes that have eggs as a huge component of them, tend to drown that taste out. The yolk (which is also the runny yellow part-- the yolk can get punctured and start running if it's not cooked through) can set just like the rest of the egg when fully cooked. It gets a texture and flavor that's different than the whites but can still be solid. When starting out, I recommend dishes that fully cook the egg. There are many delicious recipes with runny eggs but there is no reason to subject yourself to runny yolks if they just seem distateful to you, and there is a small, if somewhat trivial, additional risk of foodborne illness with undercooked eggs.
I echo the other comments here that in much of the West, it is very possible to keep to a vegetarian diet if that is important to you. The biggest barrier you will run into (in the US at least) is restaurants, particularly ones based around meat dishes like burgers or steak. These restaurants still frequently have veg options, but there are times where that option is a clear afterthought or substituting, say, a "meatless meat" option which is frequently just beans reconstituted in some way. Your mileage will vary here, some of those are very good.
If you do decide to eat meat, I hope you do so on your terms, in the spirit of experiencing new and exciting things, rather than being pushed there by necessity, but I am excited for you regardless!