7 days ago
When shawarma turns vegan
At first glance, it looks like any other shawarma — soft wrap, juicy filling, and that irresistible, heady aroma. But bite into it, and you taste not meat, but something plant-based. Surprisingly, your taste buds don't mind being mocked this way; the flavour is so meaty that you may not even spot the difference.
This tweaked version of the much-loved meal of Malayalis is on the menu at Grasshopper Gastronomics, a Thiruvananthapuram-based food tech startup, which takes a bold leap into the food arena with the world's first ready-to-eat vegan shawarma.
Now, what turns heads is not about how shawarma could be made without meat; it is about what makes up for its absence. The cheat ingredient here is the quintessential jackfruit, Kerala's own comfort food, which is cleverly done up in spices to replicate the texture and taste of traditional shawarma. Yet there is no oil, no preservatives, and no animal products.
Behind this culinary revolution is Kannan Parakunnel, who did not start out as a food entrepreneur. His journey began with a deeply personal crisis during the Covid pandemic when his mother was diagnosed with cancer. It was then that Kannan started rethinking everything, especially food. 'Eating healthy makes a person healthy,' he found himself believing. And from that thought, Grasshopper Gastronomics was born.
