Vegetarian Indian Recipes: From Appetizers, To Desserts And Beyond (PHOTOS)

We've talked plenty of times before about what to eat when a vegetarian comes over, but never with this inspired a theme. How could we never have thought of it before? Vegetarian Indian food!

For those of us striving to feed our vegetarian guests a little more adventurously, and for those of us who maintain a vegetarian diet but need some inspiration, let's look to India, one of the most vegetarian-friendly cultures on earth. Really, talking about "Indian food" is like talking about "American food." India is a huge country with vastly different living and eating cultures, varying by region -- which means there are tons of flavors and cooking techniques to explore.

There are a few constants: lots of flavor (India produces some of the richest spices on earth, and they know how to use it), rice on rice on rice and a commitment to showcasing vegetables in creative ways. We're talking about spicy stewed mushrooms, stuffed okra, homemade bread, cooling lassi -- we're getting hungry just thinking about the vegetarian Indian dinner party we're about to throw.

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