JD Vance calls Indian veg the 'best', recalls first meal he made for wife Usha

US Vice-President-elect JD Vance opened up about his appreciation for Indian vegetarian cuisine, which he credited to his wife, Usha Vance, an Indian-American. He also harped about the first vegetarian meal he cooked for Usha when the two were dating, but called his first attempt "disgusting".

In a candid and engaging conversation with Joe Rogan during the 'Joe Rogan Experience' last week, Vance shared how his culinary journey has been shaped by Usha's heritage, particularly as he shifted away from processed foods toward the vibrant and flavourful world of vegetarian cooking.

The talk began with Joe Rogan's sharp critique of processed meats, which he referred to as "highly processed garbage." Vance, who has embraced a more plant-based lifestyle in recent years, agreed wholeheartedly. But the conversation quickly took a turn towards a topic Vance is now clearly passionate about: Indian vegetarian food.

"If you want to eat vegetables and be vegetarian, eat Indian food," Rogan declared, emphasising the variety found in Indian cuisine. Vance, nodding in agreement, couldn't help but share how his wife's background had completely transformed his approach to cooking and eating.

JD Vance chimed in, admitting he had a rudimentary understanding of Indian cuisine before he met Usha Vance. He further claimed he had no idea what vegetarians ate when he met Usha.

"My wife is Indian-American, and the vegetarian food she makes is exceptional," he said, visibly animated. "I'm telling you, if you want to embrace a vegetarian lifestyle, turn to Indian cuisine. It offers the most incredible vegetarian options."

"For any vegetarian out there, indulge in paneer, rice, and chickpeas. Skip the nasty fake meat," he urged. "Indian cuisine is the real deal-it's delicious, flavourful, and there's so much variety," he added.

But Vance wasn't just waxing poetic about the wonders of Indian food; he also shared a hilariously embarrassing culinary misstep from his early days of dating Usha, when he attempted to impress her with a homemade vegetarian meal. The results, he admitted, were disastrous.

"I thought I'd make something really nice, so I rolled out a flat thing of crescent rolls, put raw broccoli on top, sprinkled ranch dressing on it, and shoved it in the oven for 45 minutes...and that was my vegetarian pizza.," Vance recalled, cringing as he spoke. "It was disgusting. I was like, 'This is terrible. What have I done?'"

Despite the culinary catastrophe, Vance's relationship with Indian cuisine evolved over time, as he learnt to appreciate the depth, complexity, and beauty of vegetarian dishes that go far beyond the basic, bland options many people associate with meatless meals.

"It took me a while to understand what vegetarian meals could actually look like," he admitted with a grin. "But once I really dug into Indian cooking, I realised how rich, flavourful, and varied it is. There's just no comparison."

Usha Vance had said earlier this year that JD Vance adopted her vegetarian lifestyle and learnt how to cook Indian food from her mother.

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