I wrote something for those who prefer vegetarian food

I believe most of American Vegetarian foods are awful because they are trying to substitute for meat.

Perhaps I should post in Vegetarianism but I want to discuss the idea.

My wife’s friend came to stay the weekend and being as she’s vegan she cooked for us. The food was really good.

I wanted to learn more and bought some Beyond Meat patties they were surprisingly similar to texture to a well done burger. I tried Beyond Meat at a fast food place and it tasted like an overseasoned paste that left regret on my tongue for the rest of the day.

Vegetarian foods in America try to replace meat. MorningStar is never going to replace a prime rib with black beans. But it won’t stop them from trying. This is in direct contrast with asian foods (the other half of my heritage). Where vegetable dishes seem integrated into cultural norms. Hinduism and Indian food for instance. Or Thai foods, Chinese foods have vegetables take up the entire dish. These foods also are heavily influenced by auxiliary tastes. Instead of the beef talking, its aromatic spices and insanely hot peppers.

I’m making sweeping generalizations. But I wonder if it’s possible to create foods that are not simply lesser imitations of what you really want (fake chicken nuggies) but a mainstay dish. And if it is possible to make it simple enough for an American pallette and accessible to cooks who don’t have much time. Maybe there are and I don’t know about them.

TL;DR Is it possible to create true vegetable focused dishes in the USA that arent trying to replace meat as the star of any given meal.