**Veganize Me: A taste of India **
March 26, 2009 by Anisa Buttar
Appreciation for the Indian culture inspired vegan Chana Masala
As each day passes, I come closer to fully accepting my identity. I am a woman, half Pakistani and half white. I have experienced discrimination for all three. I inherited my father’s features, his strong jaw line, his light brown skin, his dignified nose, his thick hair and wide, contagious smile.
Veganize Me: A taste of India : The Rebel Yell
My mother has the skin of a porcelain doll and golden hazel eyes. Once, she had to prove that she was my mother to a Pakistani airport official because he did not believe we were related.
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I have felt the tension of my mixed identity my entire life. Growing up, I just wanted to be like the other kids. I didn’t believe in what was being forced on me and the attention I received for being so different made it worse. Eventually I dismissed the culture completely. My discontent led me so far as to avoid anything related to my Pakistani heritage, books, movies, music, people…anything. Something changed.
I saw “Slumdog Millionaire” only because it was required for one of my film classes.
To my surprise, I was fully engaged in the film from the start to the Bollywood finish. The film portrays India candidly, which is what drew me in. The dusty streets teeming with people reminded me of my life in Pakistan and visits to India. Seeing the children beggars who were forcefully mutilated in the film brought back the feelings of seeing these abused children in real life.
In the same class, we watched “The Namesake” directed by Mira Nair. Kal Penn’s character, Gogol, and his younger sister reminded me so much of my little brother and myself. Gogol just wanted to be normal, adopting the name Nick from his proper name Nikhil. The siblings bonded in rebelling against their culture, much like my brother and I.
These movies had such a strong impact on me. I have become infatuated with the Indian culture, music, books, movies, people…everything. I am happy to show off the henna on my right arm for the next few days. I have fallen in love with Pakistan’s not-so beloved neighbor and I’m fine with that.
This is my all-time favorite Indian/Pakistani dish. I’ve been eating it pretty much since birth. This was my first time making it, please enjoy.
** Ingredients:**
- 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
- 1 medium onion chopped
- 1 ½ tablespoons of minced garlic
- 2 tablespoons of curry powder
- ¼ cup of diced Serrano peppers
- 2 chopped tomatoes
- 1 15 ounce can of chick peas (reserve about ¼ of a cup of liquid)
- ½ tablespoon lemon juice
- crushed red pepper to taste (I used about ½ a teaspoon)
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon red chili powder
- 1 ½ tablespoons coconut milk
- 1 cup brown rice
- 2 ½ cups chamomile tea
Method:
Put a wok or large saucepan on medium high heat. Have all the vegetables already cut and ready to go. For the rice, simply use the tea in place of water. I used a rice cooker and it worked just fine.
Pour the oil in the pan and add the onions then one tablespoon of curry powder and stir well. Add the peppers and garlic, stir well and cover. Let it cook for about seven minutes and stir frequently.
On medium heat, add the rest of the ingredients and stir well. Let it cook for about 20 to 30 minutes. Adjust the spices and seasonings to your liking. The coconut milk adds creaminess and body to the dish, so feel free to adjust to your liking as well.](“http://www.flickr.com/photos/unlvrebelyell/3386986734/”)