Hyderabad: It’s meat that looks, tastes and feels like meat, but it’s plant-based. Mock Meat, a vegan replacement for meat for people who are going vegan is fast picking acceptance in the city. Vegan diets are made up only of plant-based foods and have no room for animal products including meat, and dairy in any form. To make sure vegans don’t miss out on meat, cafes, and eateries in Hyderabad have come up with their replacement – Mock Meat.
One such café that serves mock meat is Ewoke café which serves European, Middle Eastern, Asian and Italian food and also has options for vegan desserts. They also have a store dedicated to plant-based products, plant-based proteins, and mock meat options.
“Mock meat is an alternative to actual meat. It is plant-based and mocks the taste and texture of actual animal-based meat,” said Mohan, owner of Ewoke Café at Sainikpuri. With the advancement of technology, mock meats have come close to about 80 per cent to 90 per cent of the actual meat, keeping in mind their taste, texture, and flavour. “There are many brands that have come up with different plant-based meats ranging from the classic chicken nuggets, mutton kheema, sausages, pepperoni, and meat burger patties,” he added.
This vegan meat can be made from soya, wheat isolate, jackfruit, banana peels, and watermelon through correct processing and techniques to obtain a meat-like texture and flavour.
People have been hopping into the trend of going vegan to prevent the exploitation of animals. “Vegan meat is good for the planet as the animal farming industry is the highest contributor to climate change,” said Mohan adding that “vegan meat is also good for one’s health as it has zero cholesterol.”
Mock meats can be a good alternative for people who are looking to reduce their meat consumption for health, environmental, or even ethical reasons.