On Being Vegan in Egypt by Jenna Kamal

Until the 90s, the Egyptian culture was more plant-based as meat and dairy were considered luxurious food - then, families who afforded them twice a week were higher ‘ranked’ than other families.

AS someone vegan in their twenties living in Egypt, I have noticed many changes in people’s behavior affected by food habits.

I was such a lucky kid whose father decided to take his children to a special green village on the Mediterranean sea for a sound childhood. There, I witnessed amazing farmers’ behavior to animals, and amazing cooking. By the time my father decided to head back to the city for a better education, I was twelve, so the transition gave me a deeper insight into the conflicted choices that people have to make. I was often asked about which I liked more between living in the city and living in a village. The real dilemma for me was my lunch turning from the village’s vegetable stew rice, to the city’s hot-dogs and burgers.

Now I am a twenty seven year old running a vegan restaurant in Dahab, a small town on the Red Sea and I only decided on this rural life when I realised how capitalism and globalisation both have corrupted the Egyptian diet, helping me to go vegan. The conditions I have witnessed from my childhood in a village in 90s and 2000s, to the urban life in Cairo, then witnessing economic depression leading to two revolutions resulting in everlasting political and economic unrest. All these things have helped to shape my view.

“So is it easy to be vegan in Egypt?” is my most answered question to both Egyptians and foreigners. The main reason for this question is people not looking deeply enough into cultures, and also what “vegan for the animals” really means. Like the rest of the world, the American diet has occupied markets with its fast-food restaurant chains, products and portions, defeating agricultural civilizations.

Until the 90s, the Egyptian culture was more plantbased as meat and dairy were considered luxurious food - then, families who afforded them twice a week were higher ‘ranked’ than other families. People depended more on vegetables and legumes for food as farmers also planted varieties of them. Processed meat appeared in the Egyptian markets in the beginning of the 21st century - a dark side of globalization. Processed meat is still cheap and easy to prepare, which led to more sales and less plant-based options. Then agriculture was threatened due to water shortage and political/economic unrest, which was again a boost for the processed food that invaded plates.

To be vegan in Egypt is simply to go back to the roots by following an Egyptian diet, and choosing local ingredients such as chickpeas, fava beans, koshary and falafel. An obstacle considered by most is how costly a healthy vegan diet would be, yet this is a misconception caused by looking at the expensive alternatives to meat and animal products. Nuggets and Bolognese can be easily made with chickpea flour and lentils. These are alternatives that are extremely cheap, healthy, eco-friendly and lifesaving for the agricultural community as the demand will increase on planting for foods to restore agriculture again.

From an optimistic point of view, the agricultural identity of Egypt kept several plant-based food items, so bread and most bakery products are vegan. Interestingly, many family businesses selling ice cream don’t use milk in their ice cream to avoid unnecessary costs. Also you would be very lucky to have a Christian community in your city as they provide a vegan menu all year round, since they are a fasting community avoiding any food borne of animal suffering. These blessings are believed to save animals and keep an eye open on the origins of the Egyptian diet.

By Jenna Kamal

Activist & Founder of Veganzania, a vegan restaurant in Dahab, Egypt

Pictured: Breakfast done right, courtesy of Veganzania Restaurant in Dahab, Egypt