“Prashad”:http://www.prashad.co.uk/ , the Indian vegetarian restaurant now based in Drighlington, West Yorkshire, which was runner up on Channel 4’s Ramsay’s Best Restaurant 2010, is inviting meat-eating Yorkshire folk to try vegetarian food during National Vegetarian Week 2013 (20-26 May).
To mark the annual awareness week, which promotes the benefits of a tasty meat-free lifestyle, Prashad is offering customers the opportunity to sample its famous Gujarati vegetarian cuisine with a half price tasting platter, washed down with a complimentary bottle of beer kindly donated by Kingfisher Beer.
Since moving to its new restaurant in Drighlington in December, Prashad’s head chef Minal Patel has been experimenting with weekly specials using locally-sourced produce. During National Vegetarian Week, she will be partnering with Chris Blackburn, UK Yorkshire Pudding Champion 2011 and 2012 and contestant on ITV’s Food Glorious Food, to create a unique spicy Yorkshire Pudding using Prashad’s secret ingredient Garam Massala.
Prashad’s Bobby Patel said: “We all know that Yorkshire folk love their meat and it’s still a common misconception that vegetarian food is tasteless and boring. But, in the wake of the horse meat crisis, people are re-thinking what is in the food they eat. We’re a region of curry lovers and vegetarian food really lends itself to Indian, and particularly Gujarati, cuisine. Meat eaters who visit Prashad and try signature dishes like our coconut pethis, Special Chaat, Massala Dosa and Chole always remark that they don’t miss the meat because of the complex and rich tastes, flavours and textures. National Vegetarian Week is the perfect opportunity to get more carnivores to give meat-free cuisine a try and our tasting platter will give them the chance to sample a range of dishes, tapas style. We’re also really grateful to Kingfisher Beer for supporting the campaign with their generous donation of a free bottle for every customer ordering the platter.”
Yorkshire Pudding Champion Chris Blackburn, said: “I visited Prashad for the first time recently and was blown away by the food! I’m excited to work with them on fusing traditional Yorkshire and authentic Gujarati cuisine in what promises to be a very special recipe.”
In the lead up to National Vegetarian Week, Prashad will be using Twitter (@prashad_veggie) and Facebook to encourage Yorkshire folk to #tryveggie by busting myths about vegetarian food.
Since appearing on Ramsay’s Best Restaurant, Prashad has been named in the Michelin Guide and the Which Good Food Guide and been awarded a coveted AA Rosette. Its founder Kaushy Patel has also published a best-selling, award winning cookbook, sharing all her culinary secrets. She is giving a cookery demonstration at this year’s Tastes of Yorkshire Festival on 8 June 2013, alongside Michelin Star chefs.