Jain Cuisine

Jains practice a unique concept of restricted vegetarianism. They do not consume root vegetables such as potatoes, garlic, onions, carrots, radishes, cassava, sweet potatoes, turnips, etc. However, they consume rhizomes such as turmeric, ginger, peanuts. Brinjals are also not consumed by some Jains owing to the large number of seeds in the vegetable, as a seed is taken to be a carrier of budding life. Strict Jains do not consume food which has been left overnight, such as yogurt which may have been set overnight, and have their meals before sunset so that the bacteria inside the food may not be inhaled and accidentally killed. Most Jain recipes substitute potato with Plantain.