Before coming to India, I never thought of myself as non-veg. Of course I am, because I do occasionally eat meat, but I never thought of the term describing me. What veg and non-veg mean in India are a bit different than in the USA. These diet restrictions are made for religious purposes. I’ll define these terms according to the Indian definitions.
Pure-veg: Someone who does not eat meat, fish, or eggs. This person does eat dairy products. However they don’t eat any other animal products, such as rennet, lard, or gelatin. Honey, butter, and milk are completely okay for a pure-veg dieter. This diet is called lacto-vegetarian in the USA.
Veg: Someone who eats everything a pure-veg dieter eats with the addition of eggs. This diet is called lacto-ovo-vegetarian in the USA.*
Non-veg: Someone who eats whatever they wish, including meat and fish.
You don’t find many vegans, gluten-free, or pescatarian dieters here in India. In fact, most Indians have never heard of these diets. Being lactose-free, like my husband, isn’t always easy either. Indians love their dairy.
We have also found that Indian egg-less baked goods don’t quite live up to the egg versions. If you want to wow here in India, bake with egg for your veg and non-veg friends. They will love you for it. My husband bakes, and made egg cupcakes for my students at the end of last school year. I made sure to tell each student that there were eggs in the cupcakes. One of the girls held the cupcake in her cupped hands, bowed her head, and whispered, “Don’t tell my mother.” Of course, I would never tell.
It is the law that all food items in India be labeled as veg or non-veg. You will also see these symbols in restaurants that service both veg and non-veg. The veg symbol means that the item is pure-veg (no egg). Even our toothpaste has a veg symbol on it. They look like this:
No matter what, veg food here is definitely better than in the USA. Come visit the veg paradise and… Happy Eating!
*Sometimes it’s just easier to ask if the person eats eggs.
A Tea Lover's Dream 