Five years ago, when Marissa Bronfman, a staunch vegan, moved to India, she didn’t really know where to get all her favourite, nutritious ingredients. Her search for familiar territory in a new world has been our gain because along with a digital media agency, Moxie Media, she owns a vegan delivery service and café in Mumbai called Bowl Bar. So, we asked Marissa to share her expertise with us to help budding vegans stock up on healthy, vegan ingredients using local ingredients.
From global to local
In the early days, after moving to India, Marissa shuttled between Toronto, Canada and Australia to source all her superfoods. Now, with Bowl Bar, she’s figured out local distributors who give her local, organic products, which are as good as the imported ones. “I’ve begun sourcing things from local markets and managed to strike the right balance that’s healthy, nutritious and easily available too,” says Marissa.
A vegan kitchen
Marissa’s favourite ingredients are quinoa and chia seeds. Chia seeds are rich in protein and calcium, which make it a must in every vegan’s pantry. “They are so healthy and can be used in any dish. You can sprinkle the seeds over a bowl of salad or add it to a smoothie to turn it into a low-cal dessert. It’s got multiple benefits,” she says. For adequate protein intake, quinoa is a must. “This ancient grain is rich in protein and can be easily substituted for rice or added to salads,” says Marissa.
Since superfoods are not easily available in India, Marissa recommends dals and pulses, which are rich in energy and proteins. “This is the good part about being a vegan in India. You get a good variety of dals and pulses that you can whip up amazing dishes from,” advises Marissa.
The right substitute
Marissa suggests replacing cow’s milk with soy milk, which is easily available at local kirana stores and food malls. “You can also choose almond milk which is very nutritious. But instead of buying packaged almond milk which has preservatives, you can make your own at home.” she adds.
“Save the dry nut once the milk is squeezed out to make easy energy bites by adding extra ingredients like pistachios and oats. Contrary to popular belief honey isn’t vegan. It’s extracted from the honeycomb made by bees and isn’t exactly vegan,” explains Marissa.
The best vegan sweeteners would be agave, which is not easily available in India. It’s a plant-based syrup that’s extracted from the same plant which produces tequila. Maple syrup, she suggests, is another great sugar substitute which is also easily available at food stores such as Foodhall and Nature’s Basket.
One of Marissa’s all-time favourite superfood is Maca powder which is exported from South America and widely used in European countries especially at juice bars for its vitamin rich properties.
You can buy maca powder here.
Marissa Bronfman is the founder of Moxie Media and Bowl Bar, www.bowlbarco.com.
