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Southeast Asian food has a lot to do with not just how the food is prepared but also how it is served and how it is eaten. The most dominant practices involved in preparing Southeast Asian meals include stir-frying vegetables and the usage of multiple sauces. A lot of people think that Southeast Asian food has just non-vegetarian and seafood options.
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However, multiple Southeast Asia cuisines like Indonesian cuisine and Vietnamese cuisine have a lot of vegan and vegetarian options. The best part is that they're extremely delightful in taste and one doesn't feel like they're missing out on something by not eating non-vegetarian food. Here is a list of some delicious Southeast Asian appetisers that one can try eating at a restaurant or making at home.
Also Read: Around Asia in six sweet dumplings
* Ketoprak
Ketoprak is an extremely tasty Indonesian street food and is also very popularly known as the tofu salad. This is a flavourful dish which is made by using fried tofu, blocks, steamed rice cakes, sprouts, cabbage, cucumber, and vermicelli noodles made from rice. This combination is served with a delicious sauce which is made from peanuts and sweet soy sauce. The whole dish is usually seasoned with some fried shallots and krupuk. The dish being sold on the street side of Jakarta is a very common sight.
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* Vegan Pho Chay
Pho chay is the vegan version of the very famous pho noodle soup from Vietnam. The broth of this soup is generally made from onions, soya sauce, spices, mushrooms, ginger, and black cardamom. This dish also has a lot of regional interpretation so it can be found in a lot of different forms. The pho noodles are combined with the spicy broth, and then different types of toppings such as chilli peppers, tofu, bean sprouts, and some large mushrooms are also added on top. This dish can be made even more nutritious by adding vegetables like carrots, leeks, and even fruits like apples. Different restaurants in India such as, Annamaya in Delhi and Blue Ginger in Bengaluru serve similar dishes to people.
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* Vietnamese Savoury Pancakes
Vietnamese savoury pancakes are fresh and crunchy appetisers that can be served as the first thing at a party. These are made by taking a rice paper sheet and then stuffing them with some crunchy vegetables like cucumber, mushrooms, lettuce, spices, and some soya sauce. It is generally served with some peanut and soy sauce on the side. The appetiser is very light and refreshing giving the right start to a celebration. It's also quite easy to make it home. Some interesting places in India where one can try these Vietnamese pancakes are Annamaya, Delhi and Nhi Saigon, Mumbai,
* Sayur Asem
Sayur Asem is a flavourful soup made from a concoction of different vegetables. It has a sweet and sour taste. This soup is very famous in Indonesia where people also like to call it tamarind soup. The entire flavour of the soup majorly revolves around the flavours of tamarind which is rampantly cultivated in Southeast Asia. Sayur Asem is made by using other ingredients, such as pumpkin, corn, long beans, jackfruit, chayote, and many more. The recipe for this soup was invented by the Sudanese people living in West Java.
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* Tempeh Goreng
Tempeh goreng is a traditional dish that is made from soya and is sold in the shape of blocks. This is an authentic Indonesian recipe that has a lot of regional interpretations like other recipes on this list. The simplest version of this dish is made by taking thick slices of tempeh and marinating them in a combination of spices and some water. After marination, the slices are then pan-fried by using minimal to zero oil until they become crispy. This snack is usually served on the side with the main course dish or with sambal.
* Singkong Goreng
Singkong Goreng is a very famous dish from Indonesia that is prepared by using a combination of ingredients like coriander, cassava, salt, garlic, vegetable oil, and water. The cassava is sliced into very long strips and then steamed. Simultaneously the garlic is minced. The sliced cassava is mixed with garlic, water, salt, and coriander. The mixture is left for at least 15 to 20 minutes so that the sliced cassava is marinated properly. After this, the cassava slices or fried until they become golden brown. These cassava slices are served hot and crispy and can be eaten as a snack and also served as a side dish.
* Tempeh Orek
Tempeh orek is a very popular way of cooking tempeh in Indonesia. This is a very high-protein and nutritious recipe which is subtly sweet in favour. The dishes are prepared by taking blocks of tempeh and then stir-frying them with sweet soy sauce. Other ingredients such as sliced chilli, pepper, onion, garlic, lime leaves, tamarind juice and palm sugar are also used to prepare this lip-smacking dish. Tempeh is usually glazed properly with sweet sweet sauce and can be eaten on its own or served with some steamed rice.
