Around the world, a growing number of people are avoiding meat in their diet, whether it be for their health, the environment, or to live in harmony with animals. Some might associate vegetarianism with Western culture, but many ASEAN countries have their own age-old vegetarian traditions. Let’s take a look at vegetarian cultures in ASEAN, where fresh produce has long held a treasured place on the dining table.
In 2022, Happycow, a smartphone app that allows users to find vegetarian and vegan restaurants around the world, curated a list of the world’s top ten vegan-friendly cities. Singapore ranked fifth and Bangkok seventh, thanks to a high number of dishes and restaurants that cater to vegetarians. Singapore is particularly notable for its population, which is 74 percent ethnic Chinese, 15 percent ethnic Malaysians, and 9 percent ethnic Indians. China has a long history of vegetarianism as influenced by Daoism and Buddhism, both of which have encouraged a plant-based diet. Meanwhile 40 percent of India’s population identifies as vegetarian. With such a large portion of Singapore’s citizens having Chinese or Indian heritage, it’s no surprise that the roots of vegetarianism run deep and wide in the country. That’s why the city-state is the ideal destination for the perfect hummus, a pizza Margherita that could make even an Italian diner shed tears, Japanese-style tofu-based inari sushi, and a refreshing meatless kimchi stew! Singapore’s ability to whip up a vegetarian version of any dish draws many visitors from around the world.
In many other countries, it’s necessary to actively search out vegetarian restaurants, but in Thailand, all you have to do is visit a traditional market and look for the yellow flags and signboards bearing the Thai wordเจ (ce) or the Chinese character 齋 (jae). These point to restaurants or stores selling vegetarian foods.
Thailand also hosts the famous Phuket Vegetarian Festival, during which everyone tries to abstain from meat. The festival runs for nine days, from September 1 to 9, and sees vegetarian restaurants post their highest sales. Despite hefty prices, customers buy up vegetarian products without hesitation at this time of year.
Meanwhile, Viet Nam is home to more than 10 million followers of Buddhism. Buddhists practice two types of vegetarianism: chay trường, defined as lifelong vegetarianism, and chay kỳ, the practice of vegetarianism on certain special days. An example of the latter is nhị trai, which refers to the practice of eating vegetarian food on the 1st and 15th days of every lunar month. Such food is in ample supply; indeed, anyone who has had rice noodles in Viet Nam has probably been startled by the huge portions of mung-bean sprouts and leafy greens that come with the dish. Another classic example is spring rolls made with mushrooms and tofu instead of meat. “Eating a meal without vegetables is like being in pain without medicine,” goes a local proverb, showing that the people of Viet Nam have a unique devotion to vegetarian food. Since Vietnamese vegetarianism is rooted in Buddhism, people tend to be more forgiving toward the consumption of eggs and dairy products. And as vegetarianism continues to spread explosively among Vietnamese youth in particular, Ho Chi Minh City alone has become home to more than 1,300 vegetarian restaurants.
Vegetarianism is a trend worth following in ASEAN. The world is paying close attention the vegetarian cultures of the region, where a meal might start with rice and end with mangoes.
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