Pious plates: how religions shaped vegetarian cuisines across Asia

Japan’s nature-based religion, Shintoism, considers balance and ritual purity in ways similar to Daoism. The concept of kegare, meaning “pollution” or “defilement”, is caused by contact with circumstances involving the likes of death, blood and the slaughter of animals. This led to a tradition of abstinence from meat-based meals during sacred or ritually significant periods, a dietary framework that laid the groundwork for the widespread introduction of Buddhism and its version of vegetarianism in the 6th century.

Shintoism’s reverence for nature and purity remains embedded in Japanese culinary culture, as seen in washoku—understood as the traditional cuisine of Japan, often built on grains, pickled vegetables and seasonality. While not necessarily plant-based, washoku nevertheless echoes Shinto spiritual values that emphasises seasonality, a respectful consumption of ingredients and a reverence for nature’s bounty.

Indian cuisines tend to include a robust vegetarian selection. This branch of food is shaped by three belief systems: Hinduism, Jainism and Sikhism.

The principle of Ahimsa (non-harm) and the concept of karma guide dietary practices in Hinduism. Both dictate a commitment to non-violence towards living things, which, when applied to food, naturally results in a predominantly plant-based diet. Popular plates include lentil soups, paneer dishes and a variety of flatbreads that range from dosas and naans to parathas. During periods of fasting, a typical meal may include dairy products, fruits and food items such as potatoes, nuts and millet, all prepared without alliums.

Ahimsa and karma also dictate the Jain diet, which forbids the consumption of meat, fish, eggs, alcoholic beverages and honey, while practitioners also avoid fermented foods, root vegetables and plants with tightly packed structures like cauliflower. Collectively, these rigorous constraints have shaped one of the oldest continuous vegetarian traditions in the country. Today, a typical Jain diet consists of legume-based stews and curries, flatbreads made from dough that doesn’t require overnight fermentation and sweets led by dairy and coconut, presented on a thali, a circular plate designed for modular meals.

Meanwhile, Sikhism adopts a laxer approach to meat consumption. Depending on personal preference, individuals may choose to go full veggie or not, although a lacto-vegetarian menu is always served at places of worship. This flexibility in diet has shaped the varied and diverse cuisine of the Punjab region, India’s northwestern state where Sikhism is the majority faith. Vegetarian and meat-based dishes feature interchangeably across communal tables, ranging from legume-based stews and paneer dishes to chicken tikka, meat-based biryanis and kebabs.

You might also like: Bento, silog, thali? Why Asia loves a good modular meal

Vegetarianism in Taiwan has its roots in folk and salvationist religions such as Luoism and Yiguandao—movements that blended the Buddhist commitment to fasting with the Daoist pursuit of cosmic balance. The result is a distinctive spirituality that emphasises moral purification over asceticism, a principle that continues to govern the everyday life of practitioners to this day.

Dietary requirements exist beyond temple walls and ritual altars, leading to ethically driven daily meals championing the imitation meats of Chinese vegetarian cuisines, where tofu, mushrooms, soy and other protein-packed substitutes take centre stage.

Before the arrival of Buddhism on the Korean Peninsula in the 4th century, traditional animist beliefs shaped dietary patterns. Food served a triple purpose: physical sustenance, potent medicine and spiritual fuel. Eating was a sacred act that honoured spirits of the land and assisted spiritual transcendence. This approach laid the groundwork for the evolution of traditional court cuisines and, later, Korean temple cuisine, where vegetables, wild herbs and grains are given equal importance across a meal, anchored by a sophisticated fermentation culture.

See also: Popular Korean dishes with vegetarian options that locals love

Buddhism is one of the largest motivations for vegetarianism in Southeast Asia, where the mass following of the religion has shaped a dietary ethos built on restraint and respect for living things. Many Thai Buddhists follow the Buddhist tradition of fasting during religiously and ritually significant periods, a practice that has yielded veg-forward versions of pad thai, curries, stir-fries and other favourites. Similarly, the ethnically and religiously diverse communities of Malaysia and Singapore made vegetarian alternatives as accessible as its meat counterparts.

But one major motivation for going veggie in this part of the world has roots in Daoism. The annual Nine Emperor Gods Festival is typically a nine-day celebration where cleansing the body through a strict plant-based diet becomes a public act of spiritual renewal. Food sold at festival stalls is entirely vegan and free of the five pungent vegetables disapproved of in Buddhist diets—garlic, onions, spring onions, leeks and chives. Common dishes range from fried noodles and vegetarian tom yum soup to “economy rice”—offerings consisting of rice with two or three dishes such as mock sweet and sour pork, braised root vegetables and stir-fried local greens.

NOW READ

5 food festivals around Asia that blend culture, cuisine and fun

Sustainability and flavour: The rise of fermentation in Asia’s top restaurants

5 vegan-friendly resorts in Southeast Asia that deliver on luxury