Pizza Vegolution
April 27, 2013 (VNN) by Swami B.A. Paramadvaiti
Swami B.A. Paramadvaiti
In Hindu Scriptures we find that ghee and yogurt is always used in the rites and pujas and in Ayurvedic cooking, also, the Hindu tradition is not completely vegan, but is completely against creating discomfort to animals, what to say killing them. It is a mentality in which the relationship with animals is emphasized as part of the dharma or positive behavior to progress in human life.
Currently, cow protection is only possible at governmental level. It is difficult, and there is a lack of support for this, and without it nobody can do something real. While selling milk is something we can also do like Srila Prabhupada showed. I like what is vegan for this reason, but I do not want to change the tradition of my Guru.
There are also Vaishnavas who say they cannot offer milk products from cows that have been abused and we respect that, because Srila Prabhupada emphasizes not on veganism, but on cow protection. To offer milk or not to Krishna is a not a proposal of how to solve cow protection, but rather, consuming milk is to indirectly participate in the industry of animal slaughter, that is why so many intelligent people of good feelings have become vegan.
In the West the dairy industry is inhumane, that is why we are friendly to vegan options and to finding recipes like the ones we are sharing bellow makes us very happy.
Vedic culture shows ancient ways of how to take care of cows through the gosalas, however, in the Western context, it has been very difficult to implement. But it is an ideal that can be achieved and worth fighting for as Srila Prabhupada showed.
We know that in the West it is very difficult to have a perfect diet, transgenic production, slaughter houses and dairy industries, make it very difficult to achieve a good standard in offerings to the Lord. Therefore, we are seeking for options, while they are not perfect, they can prevent us from using dubious cheese, often with animal rennet in our offerings.
I share this message so you can reflect about it in your temples and find the most practical ways to avoid eating from the suffering of animals.
With much affection, continue with your service.
Swami B.A. Paramadvaiti
* Note from the secretary: We recently held the Ostermela in which the devotees from Europe had a vegan option to feed the attendees; this is a proposal due to the unclear origin of dairy products in West (coming from animal or plant source). Below, we share a vegan pizza recipe, so you can try it at your temples with full confidence in the ingredients.
PIZZA VEGOLUTION
Ingredients:
DOUGH
1 kg flour
25 g yeast
50 g of olive oil
30 g of salt
30 g sugar
400 ml of warm water
SAUCE
4 tomatoes pulp
Pepper (to taste)
Oregano (to taste)
salt
sugar
Rucula
Soy yogurt
Preparation:
Put flour in a bowl with a little sugar and mix. In another container dissolve the yeast with a little warm water, and in another dissolve the salt with water.
Put the olive oil in the flour and gradually put the water with salt and the water with yeast, then add more warm water, kneed for 5 to 10 minutes or until the dough stops sticking to your hands.
When the dough is ready cover it with a clean cloth and let stand in a warm place for a minimum of 2 hours for it to grow better, the longer it stands the better, you can leave it from one day to another, but not more than 24 hours
Meanwhile, boil the tomato put with salt, oregano, and pepper. When the sauce comes to a boil add the olive oil.
To prepare the pizza spread the dough and cover with tomato sauce, then put several spoonful of yogurt over the entire dough without mixing the sauces, after it is baked it will have the same consistency of regular cheese and almost with the same flavor.
Pizza Vegolution
Bake for 15-20 minutes at 230ºC – 250ºC
When the pizza is ready add rucula
The especial thing about this pizza is that you don’t need to use milk cheese, which often is not a vegetarian cheese if using cow rennet, or a product from industries where cows are mistreated and are injected with hormones to increase milk production.
Soy Yogurt
Ingredients:
– 2 liters of soybean milk
– 1 packet yogurt yeast
– 9 tablespoons sugar
Preparation:
1 – Fill the container in the incubator with 2 liters of soy milk.
2 – Heat up in the microwave for a few minutes (up to 45 º C)
3 – Add the sugar and stir well until dissolved
4 – If necessary, cool to 45 °C (use thermometer)
5 – Add the yogurt yeast and stir well.
6 – Close the lid of the container.
7 – We put the tray in the incubator.
8 – Close the incubator.
9 – Let it ferment between 6 and 8 hours.
10 – Remove the tray from the incubator and put it in the refrigerator at least 4 hours.
