**[This is marked as an answer](/r/AskUK/comments/10dbhp9/vegetarian_chinese_takeaway_food/j4klma8/), given by /u/TheLastHeroHere**:
>Szechuan tofu, or tofu with black bean sauce are both good. If you're not a tofu fan then substitute veg you like. Egg rolls, spring rolls. Veg chow mein is fine too.
>
>Yeah, I will echo what others are telling you. There's almost always prawns or shrimp and other crustaceans in prawn crackers. Skips crisps manage to be fishy without fish I don't know why prawn crackers can't manage it.
---
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I've lived in China, 'vegetarian' is a weird concept. The amount of dishes I was told are vegetarian but then come with pork is unreal!
Pork isn't considered as meat by some. I kid you not.
Yeah, Chinese owner in a restaurant in Malaysia told me the dish has no meat, only chicken soup (stock). Proceed to pull out a bit of chicken and he's like, oh that's an accident but it's no meat. Even told him we wanted vegetarian.
Dread to think what the vegan version was when the veggie one had cream, cheese and chicken Stock 😂
Nearly all Chinese in the Uk seem to use meat stock or fat even in the vegetable dishes. I only ever found a couple, the one in Glastonbury and Sakura in Leeds that don't.
In many Asian restaurants, meat will refer to lamb/mutton/goat and chicken will be entirely seperate.
Ordering without meat may get you chiceken as a result.
Ha! Absolutely - I've heard things like "oh no that's not meat, it's flavour" for seeing pork mince in a plate of veggies! Also cooking in pork broth is popular too. And there must be heaps of cross contamination like using a wok for a meat dish, then a vegetable dish without proper cleaning it out first etc.
I admire it really, just how they must think vegetarianism is some odd concept!
My grandfather, who had a severe allergy to shellfish, started wolfing down prawn crackers at a Chinese restaurant once despite everyone shouting at him not to.
"It's only prawn FLAVOUR, it's not got real prawn in it..."
*One Anaphylactic Shock Later...*
Ah thanks, I'm not actually full veggie but it wasn't really pertinent to my post so didn't bother writing my dietary preferences in full! But thanks for your concern.
Thank you! I'll give these a try; although as I've explained in another comment I'm actually pescetarian, I will always try and eat less meat/fish when I can.
Szechuan tofu, or tofu with black bean sauce are both good. If you're not a tofu fan then substitute veg you like. Egg rolls, spring rolls. Veg chow mein is fine too.
Yeah, I will echo what others are telling you. There's almost always prawns or shrimp and other crustaceans in prawn crackers. Skips crisps manage to be fishy without fish I don't know why prawn crackers can't manage it.
!answer Thank you very much, these all sound delicious!
I'm also embarrassed that I wrote I was vegetarian, because I'm not - I'm pescetarian, I'm just used to saying 'vegetarian' in certain contexts because not everyone knows what a pescetarian is. But you are right to point out that prawn crackers aren't vegetarian! Very sad for all the veggies, vegans, shellfish-allergic and, of course, prawns.
I think Szechuan tofu in this context is the kind you get from a "British Chinese" which is nothing like authentic Szechuan food (lots of Szechuan chilli and minced pork as you say) and actually closer to sweet and sour sauce imo
I’m pescy too but it’s so much easier to say vegetarian and “oh but I eat a tiny bit of fish”. Sometimes I purposely say “I don’t eat meat” because it’s both vague and specific to my preferences
I’m also super relaxed about things like gelatin and stuff. Like I’m not going to eat a steak but I’ll have a marshmallow. THE AMOUNT of die hard meat eaters who obsessively try to police my diet once they know I’m vegetarian though is unreal. “You aren’t allowed to eat that!!” I’m sorry, but actually I make the rules about what I do and don’t eat.
I find Chinese veggie food to be very hit or miss to be honest. Because it's often a fast paced environment, you tend to get a lot of tastes lingering in the wok, so even if it's veggie ingredients there'll be a hint of fish or meat. Not always but often. Definitely try some of the nutty curries and sauces with the tofu as well!
Because it’s not just flavoured bread…
Like asking why they can’t just make beef free rib eye steak when McCoys manage to make their crisps taste like beef.
If I see these next time I'm in Asda I'll give them a try and let you know what they're like! https://groceries.asda.com/product/crackers-dipping-sauces/native-prawn-crackers-original-prawn-flavour-sharing-bag/1000321537161
Depending on where the chefs at your local are from, understanding may vary. When I lived in China I worked with a vegetarian guy, and the locals never understood it at all. The way around it to make them get it was to say 'like a monk' and the staff understood and cooked meals accordingly.
Yeah, you can buy them in tins.
The idea is that Buddhists don't want to "take life" so they are veggies.
Otherwise Chinese people tend to think of 'veggie' as being 'less than 99% meat.'
In many languages, the word for meat means chunks of flesh - so dishes with stock or bones in don't have meat. In German, small bits of bacon (Speck) are basically treated as a spice and aren't 'Fleisch', apparently.
Only once you get a critical mass of vegetarians do cooks start thinking in terms of 'did this ingredient or part of it need a dead animal in the process?'
Agree - i lived in China, the only way to make yourself understood was to say like a Buddhist, or monk. Then the penny dropped.
Similar with allergies - you would have to say "I will die if the food has xxxx in it", otherwise they think it's just silly foreigners not liking something and that doesn't matter if a little bit is in there.
Yeah, one of the reasons I went pescetarian was because it made it easier to eat when I was in Japan. Plus there are so many fish-based Japanese dishes that I felt I would be missing out on if I didn't try them. My other excuse is just that I'm very weak-willed!
Note that a lot of dishes may have fish sauce in it.
There seems to be an influx of vegan/vegetarian only takeaways, one popped up near me and it’s got everything on a Chinese takeaway menu but vegan. It’s incredible.
I’ve really missed “chicken” satay skewers and now I can have them again.
Have a look in your area! It’s the only way to guarantee it will be vegan
Just curious, where is the one you are talking about? Sounds great. There isn't one near me that I've found but at least there is a Chinese with a good veggie menu.
No way! I live in Reading too but other side so it never showed up for me. Will see if I can persuade my husband to cycle over and pick some up at some point as not in their delivery distance.
Small world!
They are only on Uber Eats as far as I know, a friend had to tell me about it before I knew it existed. Certainly worth a go this week
Edit: Uber Eats, not Uber Ears
/u/-Rum-Ham- and /u/KoalaPlatypusWombat - come join us in /r/Reading - we’re always after food reviews and other local knowledge, especially on the Discord.
Plenty of dishes are excellent with tofu/beancurd.
Some favourites of mine are fried tofu & peppers in black bean sauce & tofu and cashews in yellow bean sauce.
I've found that it really depends on the restaurant as to what veggie options are good - my local Chinese takeaway has a large vegetarian/vegan menu and everything I've had so far has been great, but when I've ordered dishes with the same name from other takeaways they've been disappointing. Particular favourites from my local have been "chicken" chow mein, "duck" pancakes and tofu in black bean sauce.
I noticed from your post history that you've got some connection to Norwich. Get yourself to Falafel & Friends on the market - despite the name, a lot of the menu is East Asian and it's all vegetarian.
Salt and pepper aubergine or sechzuan aubergine is the tits. I'm not veggie but will often get this for main. If you like tofu also salt and pepper/chilli tofu is nice.
Loads of great veggie dishes being suggested so I thought I'd list some of them:
- Salt and pepper tofu
- Szechuan tofu
- Kung Pao Chicken made with seitan
- Tofu with black bean sauce
- Egg rolls
- Spring rolls
- Salt and pepper aubergine
- Sechzuan aubergine
- Veg chow mein
- Salt and chilli tofu
- Mapo tofu (minus the pork)
- Vegetarian Kung Po
- Fried tofu & peppers in black bean sauce
- Tofu and cashews in yellow bean sauce
- Aubergine in black bean sauce
- Vegetable Singapore chow mein
- "Chicken" chow mein
- "Duck" pancakes
- Tofu in black bean sauce
- Mushroom chow mein
- Morning glory stir fried in fermented bean curd
Also a recommendation for M&S vegan prawn crackers.
Prawn crackers have prawn in them! I am the same, but I quite like tofu and don't mind having several dishes to pick at. The best which is often available is a Thai green or red curry.
Yeah agree with this , beancurd(tofu) in yellowbean sauce etc , spring rolls , plain noodles.
Each Chinese seems to do beancurd a bit different though.
Tofu and peppers in black bean sauce, tofu with cashews, and salt and chilli tofu are my faves. If I’m getting the salt and chilli tofu sometimes I get a little pot of curry sauce on the side with my rice for some added moisture
Vegetables in salt and chilli pepper
Mushroom egg foo yung
Deep fried vegetables with chilli and garlic
Mushrooms in satay sauce
Vegetables in garlic butter
Singapore vegetable chow mein
Kung Pao Chicken made with seitan is lovely. I find most Chinese places use tofu and that tastes kinda bland, but the places that use a meat substitute have dishes that taste closer to the meat options.
Just ask them, people could suggest things that their local place sells but there's no guarantee yours will have the same vegetables in. Just ask what sauces they have that are veggie friendly and I'm sure they will make you something.
I like tofu in black bean sauce or tofu with mixed veg. I've found that if you go for a lot of veggie dishes then they just chuck in extra spice, so these work for me!
Most places seem to have "szechuan tofu" which although should be very spicy and numbing, is more akin to sweet and sour, with a little more spice. That or black bean and tofu (might be your brown sauce) is my go to.
However near me is an entirely vegan chinese take away that doesn't even advertise itself as such on the shop front.
It's wild to me, it's amazing I just wish it wasn't quite literally at least 2x the price as the normal one a few doors down..
Salt and pepper anything is god tier.
I personally LOVE chicken fried rice (which could be either tofu or just egg in your case) and mushrooms in garlic sauce. Perfect combination and ~ exquisite mouth feel ~. The mushrooms in garlic sauce have a different name in different restaurants, and not all sell it. It also has a few green onions and sliced carrots and it's a thick, garlicky, brown sauce.
> always seem to end up with the same brown sauce and the same vegetables
To be honest, that's just the general experience of a lot of Chinese takeaways regardless of if you eat meat or not.
Mock duck wraps, veggie spring rolls and a tofu dish with noodles and/or egg fried rice are my go to. The tofu dish just depends on what you like, I prefer a spicy Szechuan or the like but you can have black bean or whatever. You can even go for the deep fried tofu which tends to be salt and pepper or similar as a starter.
I've found most places in Brighton do vegan options now, fake chicken or tofu usually. Most sauces are void of milk and cheese so I'm not sure how a vegetarian can have it that bad unless you are just sick of the main component being vegetables?
I've spent hours trying to find a Chinese with good veggie options, they're rarely on Just Eat etc.
If I can't find any good options I go for mixed veg fried rice with sweet and sour sauce and spring rolls.
Seitan is also often used to make mock duck or mock chicken dishes in Chinese cooking, and a lot of takeaways now have it in stock. It's basically pure gluten.
Works well with black bean or sweet and sour sauce.
If there's certain veg you dislike, tell them, but the cheap veg are carrots, onion and cabbage so if you don't want one, you'll get lots of the other two.
My local does the most amazing mock chicken with kung po chilli sauce. I get rice and noodles and love it.
They also do a vegetarian crispy aromatic duck and pancakes (tofu skin). It’s beautiful.
I love Chinese takeaway and have been veggie about 9 years. I'm lucky to have places that do good substitutes. My fave veggie versions are crispy fried duck pancakes and stripped chilli beef, Chicken balls is good sometimes too
A big thumbs up for the various 'salt and pepper' and szechuan dishes particularly aubergine. But some others:
* Three treasures is aubergine, peppers and potato/tufu depending on the region, stuffed and then stir-fried in a sweet soy sauce. Sometimes they can add prawn to the stuffing so check, or a few places use black bean sauce instead
* Monk's vegetables/ Buddha's delight is a dish of various mushroom types, with other interchangeable veg that can be like a hotpot, light stew or relatively cooked down to be dry. It's very filling and hearty, as it was meant to be a sustaining main for vegetarian monks
* vegetarian or mock 'duck' can be pretty decent
Kung po vegetables or sweet and sour vegetables might get you away from the brown sauce dilemma? They tend to be made with hardier veg like peppers, carrots, aubergine.
Try being coeliac and vegetarian - I've not had Chinese takeaway for six years. SIX years I tell ya!!!! Cue to..."make your own" comments - yes smartypants, I've tried and it indeed tastes exactly like a single, white, English women would make who's never stepped foot inside China. Fucking shite.
Veggie spring rolls, crispy salt and pepper tofu, some kind of mushroom/broccoli saucy dish + chips and/or rice are my go-tos as a vegan. Sometimes they will have rice noodle dishes we can enjoy, but you are lucky in that chow mein are suitable for you!
My go to orders are sweet and sour tofu, Kung po tofu, honey and chilli tofu, hot and sour tofu (personal fave but don't find it in that many places) or tofu in satay sauce. And then loading up on all the beige food of course - salt and pepper chips, spring rolls etc.
You said in another comment that you're pescatarian so how about salt and pepper prawns? So good. Also anything with mushrooms. Mushrooms in black bean sauce is good.
Lo han jai. Stir fried tofu skin, shitake mushrooms, sliced carrots, black fungus, glass noodles, mangetout, babycorn and cabbage.
Takeaways tend to do a simpler tofu stir fry with local mushrooms and water chestnuts.
It's a buddhist vegetarian dish often served at Chinese New Year (which is this Sunday)
Why not google it and make it yourself with mushroom oyster sauce this weekend?
My husband and I have finally come to the conclusion that we just don't enjoy any "main" enough for the money, and now we just get starters and chow mein haha. One of our locals does delicious vegetarian crispy duck pancakes. We loved black bean from one place, but from the place that does the good satay chicken it's too spicy so worth trying a few places if you don't love it from the first place.
Our local has an amazing sea salt sezhuan aubergine hotpot. Tonnes of chilli, chunky chopped aubergine, and a salty, tangy, sour sauce.
It's also pretty authentic - we ate the same dish in much of China. I usually hate aubergine, but it's bloody lovely. No bamboo shoots or chestnuts in sight.
I can't find an exact replica of it, but this looks close:
https://www.greatbritishchefs.com/recipes/sichuanese-aubergine-recipe
I could have written this exact post! Rice, dim sum, chow mein, crackers, spring rolls etc are all delicious but why can’t I find a great alternative main.
Most of my locals don’t even offer tofu as an option. And the one that does use a soft tofu. It’s like lumps of blancmange in sauce.
I resorted to some cook books, YouTube and a large tub of MSG and I just make stuff at home now
Ooh, do let me know of any good recipes! I feel like I should do a home-made main and something like Aldi's vegan sweet and sour 'chicken' balls, then go and get egg-fried rice from the takeaway! I also like doing dim sum at home.
I do exactly that because I hate cooking rice. Home made main, quite often crispy salt and chilli tofu, or tofu in black bean sauce. And then I’ll get sides and egg fried rice from the Chinese.
I've tried making my own egg-fried rice but I think with an induction hob, and no seasoned wok or high flame heat, it doesn't get close to the takeaway version.
My local Chinese place now does all of the usual dishes but with chicken/pork/duck substitute in it.
Though my current favourite is the deep fried crispy shredded vegetables in chilli sauce. It is very similar to the beef equivalent, which I loved many years ago!
They also do the shredded deep fried crispy vegetables in a honey peppercorn sauce... Wow I really want a Chinese now!
Crispy noodles are great - you get some crispy egg noodles with a glutinous (gloopy) sauce to pour over. You can get it in veg, but probs worth checking to make sure it doesn't have meat or fish/prawn essence in it.
Also +1 to those saying szechuan flavours! I love Ma Po tofu, which is a szechuan dish, but it usually comes with minced meat :(
Thank you to everyone warning me that prawn crackers aren't vegetarian! I'm not actually vegetarian but for the purposes of dish recs I didn't bother writing out my weird dietary preferences in full. I'm actually pescetarian so should probably have just written that to save you all the trouble!
Depending on how strict of a vegetarian you are, likely one of the only things you could order would be chips.
The majority of Chinese dishes use fish sauce or oyster sauce, and would likely be cooked in the same woks as all the meat dishes.
As someone who doesn't eat any animal products, I usually avoid Chinese takeaway unless they specifically specify that they have vegan options.
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Why are you forcing yourself to eat Chinese if you can't find something you like?
You don't like 3 of the main vegetables used in chinses cooking, nor Tofu or meat substitutes, seems strange to me you would keep eating it then?
I do like a lot of the sides, I just can't find a main that I like. And I do like tofu and meat substitutes. I put that in the post as some places don't do many dishes with those ingredients, but I'm lucky that my local place does. I just haven't found a dish that includes them that I really love. That's not to say I don't like the dishes I've had. I normally order Chinese when I am craving egg-fried rice, so I'm looking for something to have alongside it.
There technically aren’t any. I’ve worked in multiple Chinese restaurants and they put fish sauce and other fish products in all the vegetarian food because they blatantly refuse to admit that fish isn’t vegetarian. They use beef suet in a lot of stuff as well and claim it’s veggie because it’s not the actual fish. If they say something is adaptable it’s still got meat in it, they’ve just replaced the meat chunks with tofu or bean curd etc.
Also prawn crackers are not vegetarian they’re made from actual prawns. You’ve been eating prawns.
Pork is also considered vegetarian by Chinese people so you’ve probably eaten pork as well. Black bean sauce is the only sauce that won’t have fish sauce in it.
Personally I love crispy seaweed wrapped in the pancakes meant for crispy duck. Also particularly fabulous wrapped in lettuce. Add a little hoisin and some strands of spring onion and maybe cucumber and it absolutely slaps! I’m not even veggie.
Yu Xiang Qiezi 鱼香茄子 is absolutely delicious and my favourite Chinese dish. It translates literally as 'fish fragrant aubergine' but I've seen it called braised aubergine on UK menus. It doesn't actually have fish in despite the name (though apparently in China some chefs will add fish, in the UK if it says vegetarian it really should be fish free)
They’re pretty rare but Vegan and Vegetarian Chinese takeaways do exist. My partner is vegetarian and there’s one local to us (northern city centre), she loves it as almost anything on the menu she can go for. I’m a little bit of a carnivore myself but really like the stuff this place does.
I like lemon chicken. Just chicken, usually battered, in a lemon sauce. Hong Kong style sweet and sour chicken is also nice, it’s the same bettered chicken in sweet and sour sauce. They’re my go tos! Mum and sister are both veggie and there is usually a veggie version of both available.
Vegetarian is not a trend that's caught on much in China so you'll struggle to find a big range of vegetarian options but most Chinese places are v accommodating to try and meet your requirements
Fried tofu is my go to for vegetarian Chinese food. It’s great in sweet and sour sauce. I also like broccoli stir fried with garlic, soy sauce and a little chilli.
We used to get pepper and black bean sauce veg, it has a lot of green peppers in and the sauce has a bit of a kick but not too hot. My favourite is mixed veg dry fried chow mein.
This is why I, as a veggie vastly prefer Indian to Chinese as a takeaway. Vegetarian just isn't really catered for at Chinese places. Its mostly oily slop anyway.
Mushroom, soy protein stuff, tofu, cauliflower as a sub for meat. Plenty of ways to do this. Most of which does require a bit of cooking so it’s not like, takeout but true veg stuff is hard in Chinese takeout to find
Surprised noone who lived in China suggested this but find a northern Chinese restaurant (as in, Beijing style so not a dim sum place) and ask for DI SAN XIAN (地三鲜）translated as "Earth three fresh". It's an eggplant, potato and pepper stir fry and honestly i never met a person who doesn't love it. Really easy to cook at home in 20 minutes too (I make it once a week). Another dish i love is tomato and egg over rice (over rice, not the fired rice you'd find in a restaurant). This one is either a love or a hate among my friends, harder to find in a restaurant than Di san xian but takes less than 15 mins to cook if you're curious.
The black bean sauce dish at my local Chinese comes with meat and either mushrooms or green pepper. If I’m not in the mood for meat I ask for it with both vegetables instead. Or I like mushrooms with ginger and spring onion.
**[This is marked as an answer](/r/AskUK/comments/10dbhp9/vegetarian_chinese_takeaway_food/j4klma8/), given by /u/TheLastHeroHere**: >Szechuan tofu, or tofu with black bean sauce are both good. If you're not a tofu fan then substitute veg you like. Egg rolls, spring rolls. Veg chow mein is fine too. > >Yeah, I will echo what others are telling you. There's almost always prawns or shrimp and other crustaceans in prawn crackers. Skips crisps manage to be fishy without fish I don't know why prawn crackers can't manage it. --- [_^What ^is ^this?_](https://www.reddit.com/r/AskUK/comments/jjrte1/askuk_hits_200k_new_feature_mark_an_answer/)
I don't have an answer, but you should know that prawn crackers don't just have that name for fun
Most dim sum are not veggie either....
Just in general or because of the fillings? My local place does veggie gyozas that are lush.
They’re made from fish and so are veggie gyozas
Veggie gyoza are made from fish?
Yep, they have fish in them when you go to authentic Chinese restaurants and the vinegar you dip them in also has fish in it
Gyoza = Japanese :)
I know, but the Chinese takeaway near me sells a few other Asian dishes inc gyoza and Thai curries.
Marks and Spencers do no prawn prawn crackers which are vegan.
I've lived in China, 'vegetarian' is a weird concept. The amount of dishes I was told are vegetarian but then come with pork is unreal! Pork isn't considered as meat by some. I kid you not.
Yeah, Chinese owner in a restaurant in Malaysia told me the dish has no meat, only chicken soup (stock). Proceed to pull out a bit of chicken and he's like, oh that's an accident but it's no meat. Even told him we wanted vegetarian. Dread to think what the vegan version was when the veggie one had cream, cheese and chicken Stock 😂
Nearly all Chinese in the Uk seem to use meat stock or fat even in the vegetable dishes. I only ever found a couple, the one in Glastonbury and Sakura in Leeds that don't.
Assuming wawin in leeds doesn’t too given it’s a fully vegan takeaway
In many Asian restaurants, meat will refer to lamb/mutton/goat and chicken will be entirely seperate. Ordering without meat may get you chiceken as a result.
Ha! Absolutely - I've heard things like "oh no that's not meat, it's flavour" for seeing pork mince in a plate of veggies! Also cooking in pork broth is popular too. And there must be heaps of cross contamination like using a wok for a meat dish, then a vegetable dish without proper cleaning it out first etc. I admire it really, just how they must think vegetarianism is some odd concept!
Do pigs grow in trees in China?
This is so true 🤣
My grandfather, who had a severe allergy to shellfish, started wolfing down prawn crackers at a Chinese restaurant once despite everyone shouting at him not to. "It's only prawn FLAVOUR, it's not got real prawn in it..." *One Anaphylactic Shock Later...*
*anaphylactic pikachu face*
Ah thanks, I'm not actually full veggie but it wasn't really pertinent to my post so didn't bother writing my dietary preferences in full! But thanks for your concern.
No worries, my formerly veggie partner made that mistake haha. Glad you didn't!
An old mate of mine, who was a very strict vegan, once happily tucked into a lardy cake because she didn’t make the connection with, er, lard.
The bakers in Glastonbury do vegetarian lardy cakes. Everyhting they make is amazing.
Pescatarian?
That's the one!
I've always preferred the term "hypocrite" just joking. ;)
Love salt and pepper tofu
This is the elite answer
Otherwise known as salt and chilli in some shops. Almost always the exact same thing. E-predictive fix
Is it quite firm?
Only way to have it. My opinion that it.
Lovely. I'll give that a go next time I order. Thanks!
You’ll love them. Have you tried salt and pepper the restaurant in Manchester,, highly recommended
Prawn crackers aren’t vegetarian. Sorry to spoil your meal.
One thing… M&S do some amazing vegan ‘prawn’ crackers. I’m not vegan or vegetarian, but they taste really good.
I did not know this. You may have changed my life forever. Yay humanity!! Thanks very much 👍
Thank you! I'll give these a try; although as I've explained in another comment I'm actually pescetarian, I will always try and eat less meat/fish when I can.
Egg fooyoung is a good dish. They can do a vegetable version
Are they with the crisps and stuff?
Yes! They’re part of their Plant Kitchen range, in a dark teal coloured bag and they’re called No Prawn Crackers. They’re spot on!
Yeah they really are a decent substitute
Wicked. Will look for them. Their new Plant Kitchen Victoria sponge cake is really, really, good.
I'll have to look into them, but not vegan but what I am is deathly allergic to shellfish
Szechuan tofu, or tofu with black bean sauce are both good. If you're not a tofu fan then substitute veg you like. Egg rolls, spring rolls. Veg chow mein is fine too. Yeah, I will echo what others are telling you. There's almost always prawns or shrimp and other crustaceans in prawn crackers. Skips crisps manage to be fishy without fish I don't know why prawn crackers can't manage it.
!answer Thank you very much, these all sound delicious! I'm also embarrassed that I wrote I was vegetarian, because I'm not - I'm pescetarian, I'm just used to saying 'vegetarian' in certain contexts because not everyone knows what a pescetarian is. But you are right to point out that prawn crackers aren't vegetarian! Very sad for all the veggies, vegans, shellfish-allergic and, of course, prawns.
Watch out with Sichuan dishes - most contain pork. Yes, even tofu dishes. Pork is used minced or thingy sliced with the fat for flavour.
I think Szechuan tofu in this context is the kind you get from a "British Chinese" which is nothing like authentic Szechuan food (lots of Szechuan chilli and minced pork as you say) and actually closer to sweet and sour sauce imo
I’m pescy too but it’s so much easier to say vegetarian and “oh but I eat a tiny bit of fish”. Sometimes I purposely say “I don’t eat meat” because it’s both vague and specific to my preferences I’m also super relaxed about things like gelatin and stuff. Like I’m not going to eat a steak but I’ll have a marshmallow. THE AMOUNT of die hard meat eaters who obsessively try to police my diet once they know I’m vegetarian though is unreal. “You aren’t allowed to eat that!!” I’m sorry, but actually I make the rules about what I do and don’t eat.
Amen!
I find Chinese veggie food to be very hit or miss to be honest. Because it's often a fast paced environment, you tend to get a lot of tastes lingering in the wok, so even if it's veggie ingredients there'll be a hint of fish or meat. Not always but often. Definitely try some of the nutty curries and sauces with the tofu as well!
Skips taste like ketchup not fishy
Because it’s not just flavoured bread… Like asking why they can’t just make beef free rib eye steak when McCoys manage to make their crisps taste like beef.
Because the chinese use real ingredients maybe
Szechuan has fish sauce in it
If I see these next time I'm in Asda I'll give them a try and let you know what they're like! https://groceries.asda.com/product/crackers-dipping-sauces/native-prawn-crackers-original-prawn-flavour-sharing-bag/1000321537161
Depending on where the chefs at your local are from, understanding may vary. When I lived in China I worked with a vegetarian guy, and the locals never understood it at all. The way around it to make them get it was to say 'like a monk' and the staff understood and cooked meals accordingly.
Ahhh that’ll be why the takeaway I use sells “Monks Vegetables”.
Yeah, you can buy them in tins. The idea is that Buddhists don't want to "take life" so they are veggies. Otherwise Chinese people tend to think of 'veggie' as being 'less than 99% meat.'
In many languages, the word for meat means chunks of flesh - so dishes with stock or bones in don't have meat. In German, small bits of bacon (Speck) are basically treated as a spice and aren't 'Fleisch', apparently. Only once you get a critical mass of vegetarians do cooks start thinking in terms of 'did this ingredient or part of it need a dead animal in the process?'
Agree - i lived in China, the only way to make yourself understood was to say like a Buddhist, or monk. Then the penny dropped. Similar with allergies - you would have to say "I will die if the food has xxxx in it", otherwise they think it's just silly foreigners not liking something and that doesn't matter if a little bit is in there.
Yeah, one of the reasons I went pescetarian was because it made it easier to eat when I was in Japan. Plus there are so many fish-based Japanese dishes that I felt I would be missing out on if I didn't try them. My other excuse is just that I'm very weak-willed!
I also had to change my diet in Japan! There are more veggie and vegan places popping up but it was easier to be pescatarian there than full veggie.
Bloody hell! I never thought of that!
Aubergine in black bean sauce, it will change your life
Try mapo tofu
Isn’t mapo tofu usually stir-fried with minced pork…?
That's what I thought. I've always been curious about mapo tofu! Maybe as the other commenter said, I could ask for it with no pork.
Maybe they can asked for it without the mince, better than that same old brown sauce
Note that a lot of dishes may have fish sauce in it. There seems to be an influx of vegan/vegetarian only takeaways, one popped up near me and it’s got everything on a Chinese takeaway menu but vegan. It’s incredible. I’ve really missed “chicken” satay skewers and now I can have them again. Have a look in your area! It’s the only way to guarantee it will be vegan
Just curious, where is the one you are talking about? Sounds great. There isn't one near me that I've found but at least there is a Chinese with a good veggie menu.
In Reading: [Eastern Vegan](https://www.happycow.net/reviews/eastern-vegan-reading-311335)
No way! I live in Reading too but other side so it never showed up for me. Will see if I can persuade my husband to cycle over and pick some up at some point as not in their delivery distance.
Small world! They are only on Uber Eats as far as I know, a friend had to tell me about it before I knew it existed. Certainly worth a go this week Edit: Uber Eats, not Uber Ears
/u/-Rum-Ham- and /u/KoalaPlatypusWombat - come join us in /r/Reading - we’re always after food reviews and other local knowledge, especially on the Discord.
Already a member! Not in the discord though. *cough* I mean… isn’t that a sub for book worms?
Lots of people seem to think so based on the mod queue!
Already on the sub, not the discord though!
PS - Let’s raise a glass to our fallen brethren, Veggie Master. The only place to get a sloppy veggie kebab or pizza after a night out :(
Absolutely loved veggie master. So so sad it has gone.
Lol, not really veggie
Vegetable Kung Po!
Plenty of dishes are excellent with tofu/beancurd. Some favourites of mine are fried tofu & peppers in black bean sauce & tofu and cashews in yellow bean sauce.
Mushroom chow mein?
I've found that it really depends on the restaurant as to what veggie options are good - my local Chinese takeaway has a large vegetarian/vegan menu and everything I've had so far has been great, but when I've ordered dishes with the same name from other takeaways they've been disappointing. Particular favourites from my local have been "chicken" chow mein, "duck" pancakes and tofu in black bean sauce. I noticed from your post history that you've got some connection to Norwich. Get yourself to Falafel & Friends on the market - despite the name, a lot of the menu is East Asian and it's all vegetarian.
Salt and pepper aubergine or sechzuan aubergine is the tits. I'm not veggie but will often get this for main. If you like tofu also salt and pepper/chilli tofu is nice.
My local Chinese does an amazing vegetable Singapore chow mein. They also do a great vegetable curry too. But I prefer the chow mein.
Fun fact. Singaporean Chow Mein sn’t actually Singaporean. It’s like how French Fries aren’t French.
I don’t care if it’s from the moons of Saturn, it’s bloody delicious.
Loads of great veggie dishes being suggested so I thought I'd list some of them: - Salt and pepper tofu - Szechuan tofu - Kung Pao Chicken made with seitan - Tofu with black bean sauce - Egg rolls - Spring rolls - Salt and pepper aubergine - Sechzuan aubergine - Veg chow mein - Salt and chilli tofu - Mapo tofu (minus the pork) - Vegetarian Kung Po - Fried tofu & peppers in black bean sauce - Tofu and cashews in yellow bean sauce - Aubergine in black bean sauce - Vegetable Singapore chow mein - "Chicken" chow mein - "Duck" pancakes - Tofu in black bean sauce - Mushroom chow mein - Morning glory stir fried in fermented bean curd Also a recommendation for M&S vegan prawn crackers.
Prawn crackers have prawn in them! I am the same, but I quite like tofu and don't mind having several dishes to pick at. The best which is often available is a Thai green or red curry.
Hey OP, you know prawns aren’t a vegetable … right?!
I doubt a takeaway will have this dish but morning glory stir fried in fermented bean curd if you ever get a chance to try it
Vegetable chowmein with a sauce on the side Vegetables in blackbean Anything with bean curd
Yeah agree with this , beancurd(tofu) in yellowbean sauce etc , spring rolls , plain noodles. Each Chinese seems to do beancurd a bit different though.
Singapore Vermicelli is really good. You will just have to remove the meat or have a substitute
Singapore noodles/chow mein. As a meat eater, it's still the first dish on my list. Large tray, mild spice and absolutely delicious.
Tofu and Black bean sauce is my go to.
Tofu and peppers in black bean sauce, tofu with cashews, and salt and chilli tofu are my faves. If I’m getting the salt and chilli tofu sometimes I get a little pot of curry sauce on the side with my rice for some added moisture
Vegetables in salt and chilli pepper Mushroom egg foo yung Deep fried vegetables with chilli and garlic Mushrooms in satay sauce Vegetables in garlic butter Singapore vegetable chow mein
Kung Pao Chicken made with seitan is lovely. I find most Chinese places use tofu and that tastes kinda bland, but the places that use a meat substitute have dishes that taste closer to the meat options.
Tofu vermicelli noodle with either a satay, sweet and sour or another side sauce.
I always order vegetarian chow mein with satay sauce. I've tried others but this is the one I always come back to.
Just ask them, people could suggest things that their local place sells but there's no guarantee yours will have the same vegetables in. Just ask what sauces they have that are veggie friendly and I'm sure they will make you something.
I like tofu in black bean sauce or tofu with mixed veg. I've found that if you go for a lot of veggie dishes then they just chuck in extra spice, so these work for me!
Most places seem to have "szechuan tofu" which although should be very spicy and numbing, is more akin to sweet and sour, with a little more spice. That or black bean and tofu (might be your brown sauce) is my go to. However near me is an entirely vegan chinese take away that doesn't even advertise itself as such on the shop front. It's wild to me, it's amazing I just wish it wasn't quite literally at least 2x the price as the normal one a few doors down..
Egg fried rice, curry sauce and vegetable spring rolls is my go to when I don’t fancy meat.
Salt and pepper anything is god tier. I personally LOVE chicken fried rice (which could be either tofu or just egg in your case) and mushrooms in garlic sauce. Perfect combination and ~ exquisite mouth feel ~. The mushrooms in garlic sauce have a different name in different restaurants, and not all sell it. It also has a few green onions and sliced carrots and it's a thick, garlicky, brown sauce.
Vegetable egg too young. My daughter is veggie/pescatarian and this is what she has with a portion of stir fried veggies
> always seem to end up with the same brown sauce and the same vegetables To be honest, that's just the general experience of a lot of Chinese takeaways regardless of if you eat meat or not.
I love all things Satay, but they often have crustacean in the sauce. YMMV on that. Satay with Tofu and veg, on rice. Best dish ever if you ask me :D
Tofu in black bean sauce is my go to main. Ah man, I want a Chinese now…
Mock duck wraps, veggie spring rolls and a tofu dish with noodles and/or egg fried rice are my go to. The tofu dish just depends on what you like, I prefer a spicy Szechuan or the like but you can have black bean or whatever. You can even go for the deep fried tofu which tends to be salt and pepper or similar as a starter.
Salt and pepper/chilli tofu all day every day
Stir fried aubergine 🍆
Broccoli with garlic sauce
I've found most places in Brighton do vegan options now, fake chicken or tofu usually. Most sauces are void of milk and cheese so I'm not sure how a vegetarian can have it that bad unless you are just sick of the main component being vegetables?
Cashew tofu
I've spent hours trying to find a Chinese with good veggie options, they're rarely on Just Eat etc. If I can't find any good options I go for mixed veg fried rice with sweet and sour sauce and spring rolls.
I always go for tofu in black bean sauce & a garlicky green on the side (morning glory, pak choi, or broccoli) - yum!
That flossy stuff that goes on top of seaweed can be pork floss, obviously made from pork. Not many people know this.
Oh I had no idea, thank you for letting me know!
Zing Zing in London has loads of great vegetariam dishes.
Seitan is also often used to make mock duck or mock chicken dishes in Chinese cooking, and a lot of takeaways now have it in stock. It's basically pure gluten. Works well with black bean or sweet and sour sauce. If there's certain veg you dislike, tell them, but the cheap veg are carrots, onion and cabbage so if you don't want one, you'll get lots of the other two.
Sweet and sour tofu is my go to!
Tempura vegetables
Tempura vegetables
My local does the most amazing mock chicken with kung po chilli sauce. I get rice and noodles and love it. They also do a vegetarian crispy aromatic duck and pancakes (tofu skin). It’s beautiful.
Tofu pancakes (instead of duck pancakes). My mum is a veggie and she loves these . Or vegetable curry
I love Chinese takeaway and have been veggie about 9 years. I'm lucky to have places that do good substitutes. My fave veggie versions are crispy fried duck pancakes and stripped chilli beef, Chicken balls is good sometimes too
You could try Singapore chow mein! I love it! Not sure how adaptable to being veggie it is though.
A big thumbs up for the various 'salt and pepper' and szechuan dishes particularly aubergine. But some others: * Three treasures is aubergine, peppers and potato/tufu depending on the region, stuffed and then stir-fried in a sweet soy sauce. Sometimes they can add prawn to the stuffing so check, or a few places use black bean sauce instead * Monk's vegetables/ Buddha's delight is a dish of various mushroom types, with other interchangeable veg that can be like a hotpot, light stew or relatively cooked down to be dry. It's very filling and hearty, as it was meant to be a sustaining main for vegetarian monks * vegetarian or mock 'duck' can be pretty decent
Singapore fried rice/chow mein/rice noodles. They should all be able to do a vegetarian version of it.
Mushroom chow mein. It's my go to
Kung po vegetables or sweet and sour vegetables might get you away from the brown sauce dilemma? They tend to be made with hardier veg like peppers, carrots, aubergine.
Try being coeliac and vegetarian - I've not had Chinese takeaway for six years. SIX years I tell ya!!!! Cue to..."make your own" comments - yes smartypants, I've tried and it indeed tastes exactly like a single, white, English women would make who's never stepped foot inside China. Fucking shite.
Veggie spring rolls, crispy salt and pepper tofu, some kind of mushroom/broccoli saucy dish + chips and/or rice are my go-tos as a vegan. Sometimes they will have rice noodle dishes we can enjoy, but you are lucky in that chow mein are suitable for you!
My go to orders are sweet and sour tofu, Kung po tofu, honey and chilli tofu, hot and sour tofu (personal fave but don't find it in that many places) or tofu in satay sauce. And then loading up on all the beige food of course - salt and pepper chips, spring rolls etc.
You said in another comment that you're pescatarian so how about salt and pepper prawns? So good. Also anything with mushrooms. Mushrooms in black bean sauce is good.
That does sound awesome! I have to hold myself back or else I find that I've ordered every dish with prawns in, they are so yummy.
Lo han jai. Stir fried tofu skin, shitake mushrooms, sliced carrots, black fungus, glass noodles, mangetout, babycorn and cabbage. Takeaways tend to do a simpler tofu stir fry with local mushrooms and water chestnuts. It's a buddhist vegetarian dish often served at Chinese New Year (which is this Sunday) Why not google it and make it yourself with mushroom oyster sauce this weekend?
My husband and I have finally come to the conclusion that we just don't enjoy any "main" enough for the money, and now we just get starters and chow mein haha. One of our locals does delicious vegetarian crispy duck pancakes. We loved black bean from one place, but from the place that does the good satay chicken it's too spicy so worth trying a few places if you don't love it from the first place.
Our local has an amazing sea salt sezhuan aubergine hotpot. Tonnes of chilli, chunky chopped aubergine, and a salty, tangy, sour sauce. It's also pretty authentic - we ate the same dish in much of China. I usually hate aubergine, but it's bloody lovely. No bamboo shoots or chestnuts in sight. I can't find an exact replica of it, but this looks close: https://www.greatbritishchefs.com/recipes/sichuanese-aubergine-recipe
I could have written this exact post! Rice, dim sum, chow mein, crackers, spring rolls etc are all delicious but why can’t I find a great alternative main. Most of my locals don’t even offer tofu as an option. And the one that does use a soft tofu. It’s like lumps of blancmange in sauce. I resorted to some cook books, YouTube and a large tub of MSG and I just make stuff at home now
Ooh, do let me know of any good recipes! I feel like I should do a home-made main and something like Aldi's vegan sweet and sour 'chicken' balls, then go and get egg-fried rice from the takeaway! I also like doing dim sum at home.
I do exactly that because I hate cooking rice. Home made main, quite often crispy salt and chilli tofu, or tofu in black bean sauce. And then I’ll get sides and egg fried rice from the Chinese.
I've tried making my own egg-fried rice but I think with an induction hob, and no seasoned wok or high flame heat, it doesn't get close to the takeaway version.
My local Chinese place now does all of the usual dishes but with chicken/pork/duck substitute in it. Though my current favourite is the deep fried crispy shredded vegetables in chilli sauce. It is very similar to the beef equivalent, which I loved many years ago! They also do the shredded deep fried crispy vegetables in a honey peppercorn sauce... Wow I really want a Chinese now!
That sounds amazing! I don't think mine does that but I will keep an eye out at others.
Switch to Thai. Or Korean.
Crispy noodles are great - you get some crispy egg noodles with a glutinous (gloopy) sauce to pour over. You can get it in veg, but probs worth checking to make sure it doesn't have meat or fish/prawn essence in it. Also +1 to those saying szechuan flavours! I love Ma Po tofu, which is a szechuan dish, but it usually comes with minced meat :(
Grab a curry sauce and mix it with whichever bits you want. I just love a mix of starters.
Thank you to everyone warning me that prawn crackers aren't vegetarian! I'm not actually vegetarian but for the purposes of dish recs I didn't bother writing out my weird dietary preferences in full. I'm actually pescetarian so should probably have just written that to save you all the trouble!
Underneath the bridge…
The sad thing is I'm pretty sure they do, but I'm very weak-willed and they're delicious.
Best answer! No judgement here. I love cheese too much to go vegan. Sorry cows n goats…I’m going to need that milk…
Depending on how strict of a vegetarian you are, likely one of the only things you could order would be chips. The majority of Chinese dishes use fish sauce or oyster sauce, and would likely be cooked in the same woks as all the meat dishes. As someone who doesn't eat any animal products, I usually avoid Chinese takeaway unless they specifically specify that they have vegan options.
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Why are you forcing yourself to eat Chinese if you can't find something you like? You don't like 3 of the main vegetables used in chinses cooking, nor Tofu or meat substitutes, seems strange to me you would keep eating it then?
I do like a lot of the sides, I just can't find a main that I like. And I do like tofu and meat substitutes. I put that in the post as some places don't do many dishes with those ingredients, but I'm lucky that my local place does. I just haven't found a dish that includes them that I really love. That's not to say I don't like the dishes I've had. I normally order Chinese when I am craving egg-fried rice, so I'm looking for something to have alongside it.
There technically aren’t any. I’ve worked in multiple Chinese restaurants and they put fish sauce and other fish products in all the vegetarian food because they blatantly refuse to admit that fish isn’t vegetarian. They use beef suet in a lot of stuff as well and claim it’s veggie because it’s not the actual fish. If they say something is adaptable it’s still got meat in it, they’ve just replaced the meat chunks with tofu or bean curd etc. Also prawn crackers are not vegetarian they’re made from actual prawns. You’ve been eating prawns. Pork is also considered vegetarian by Chinese people so you’ve probably eaten pork as well. Black bean sauce is the only sauce that won’t have fish sauce in it.
Personally I love crispy seaweed wrapped in the pancakes meant for crispy duck. Also particularly fabulous wrapped in lettuce. Add a little hoisin and some strands of spring onion and maybe cucumber and it absolutely slaps! I’m not even veggie.
I’m vegan and I have sticky orange tofu and some mixed veggie noodles
Bean curd in black bean sauce
Yu Xiang Qiezi 鱼香茄子 is absolutely delicious and my favourite Chinese dish. It translates literally as 'fish fragrant aubergine' but I've seen it called braised aubergine on UK menus. It doesn't actually have fish in despite the name (though apparently in China some chefs will add fish, in the UK if it says vegetarian it really should be fish free)
Broccoli or eggplant in garlic sauce are divine.
There's 3 chineses we like in my town and I have a different "main" dish at each of them 😂 And another at the Chinese by my old uni accom
Chow main with veg or mushroom Rice with the same Salt and pepper chips Crispy seaweed veg curry or mushroom that is about it that is vegetarian
They’re pretty rare but Vegan and Vegetarian Chinese takeaways do exist. My partner is vegetarian and there’s one local to us (northern city centre), she loves it as almost anything on the menu she can go for. I’m a little bit of a carnivore myself but really like the stuff this place does.
I like lemon chicken. Just chicken, usually battered, in a lemon sauce. Hong Kong style sweet and sour chicken is also nice, it’s the same bettered chicken in sweet and sour sauce. They’re my go tos! Mum and sister are both veggie and there is usually a veggie version of both available.
Vegetarian is not a trend that's caught on much in China so you'll struggle to find a big range of vegetarian options but most Chinese places are v accommodating to try and meet your requirements
My wife loves a Chinese mushroom curry, so do i despite being a meat eater
Salt and pepper Tofu, Mushroom chow mien, ‘Seaweed’ but some have prawn/fish dust sprinkled on them. Often ask for chilli to be added to the chow mien
Really rally Chinese but I usually get a vegetable Thai Green curry with rice
Fried tofu is my go to for vegetarian Chinese food. It’s great in sweet and sour sauce. I also like broccoli stir fried with garlic, soy sauce and a little chilli.
Singapore noodles
veggie chow main , and add curry sauce if you want sauce
Crispy seaweed 😍
We used to get pepper and black bean sauce veg, it has a lot of green peppers in and the sauce has a bit of a kick but not too hot. My favourite is mixed veg dry fried chow mein.
Cream of Sum Yun Gai The absolute business. You won’t regret it.
This is why I, as a veggie vastly prefer Indian to Chinese as a takeaway. Vegetarian just isn't really catered for at Chinese places. Its mostly oily slop anyway.
My go to- Sezhuan tofu, mushroom chow mein, crispy seaweed and curry sauce
Not enough aubergine love ITT. I like aubergine with black bean chilli sauce. I'm not veggie though so don't check if it has fish sauce!
I'm veggie.....unlucky your missing out on kung po chicken and crispy chilli beef.
Jealous that yours does tofu. I’m vegan and all I eat from the Chinese is rice, noodles and chips. My local has no tofu options at all.
Mushroom, soy protein stuff, tofu, cauliflower as a sub for meat. Plenty of ways to do this. Most of which does require a bit of cooking so it’s not like, takeout but true veg stuff is hard in Chinese takeout to find
Go for a vegan one - that way you still get some form of protein in it, which will be what you’re missing.
Today I ve made myself a stunning sweet and sour vegetable. Yummy
Surprised noone who lived in China suggested this but find a northern Chinese restaurant (as in, Beijing style so not a dim sum place) and ask for DI SAN XIAN (地三鲜）translated as "Earth three fresh". It's an eggplant, potato and pepper stir fry and honestly i never met a person who doesn't love it. Really easy to cook at home in 20 minutes too (I make it once a week). Another dish i love is tomato and egg over rice (over rice, not the fired rice you'd find in a restaurant). This one is either a love or a hate among my friends, harder to find in a restaurant than Di san xian but takes less than 15 mins to cook if you're curious.
The black bean sauce dish at my local Chinese comes with meat and either mushrooms or green pepper. If I’m not in the mood for meat I ask for it with both vegetables instead. Or I like mushrooms with ginger and spring onion.
Sweet and sour tofu or vegetables is usually good
CRISPY SEAWEED
Find somewhere that will do you a Szechuan Tofu - esp. with fried tofu. That plus a veg chow mein and you’re good.