Veg-Jing Out: Where to Find Faux-Meat on Taobao
advertisement
The interruptions of food supply chains following the closure of the Xinfadi market in Fengtai district – Beijing's biggest fresh produce, meat, and fish supplier – has left us all with a bad taste in our mouths. Okay, maybe not bad, but a strange taste for sure. Over the past few weeks, meat dishes have been limited at restaurants across the city, meaning vegetable dishes have been the (literal) order of the day.
In an ideal world, we would put down our serrated knives and forks, flood the streets, and demand delicious vegan alternatives for everything. But the world is not ideal, and frankly, we don't have the energy to make it such. Luckily, however, we can do the next best thing – Taobao and chill. Only this time, we will be exploring the mysterious world of faux-meat.
While by no means a new invention (Buddhists have been creating mock-meat alternatives for ages), in the last couple of years, plant-based meat substitutes have gained immense popularity across the globe, a trend that is tied to growing concerns over greenhouse gas emissions and factory farms. But beyond that, many meat substitutes are simply delicious sources of protein and, at the very least, a guilt-free dinner.
Let’s dive into some of the best options available on Taobao right now.
This American brand began making waves in the mainstream foodie community during the mid-00s thanks to its revolutionary products. It has since gained support from A-list vegan celebrities such as actor and comedian Kevin Hart. It is also available on Taobao at fairly competitive prices, offering a variety of products including beef, burgers, sausage, and pork. They even offer fishless filets and chickenless nuggets. Whereas a 500-gram slab of premium imported Angus beef steak could set you back RMB 300, Beyond Meat's products hover around RMB 140. And if you’re concerned about the ingredients, don't be. All protein is plant-sourced from fava bean, mung bean, peas, and brown rice, while oils and fats included are coconut oil, cocoa butter, sunflower, and canola oil. Not to mention the whopping 20 grams of protein per serving. Not bad.
Offering a variety of prepared faux-meats, this store specializes in Chinese cuisines, from Sichuan-flavored sausages to prime lamb pieces and plain Beijing roast duck, all made from a soy-based mixture. And if you can't make up your mind, the Taobao store offers an assorted pack of 16 types of meat for RMB 169.
If you’ve ever been to a typical 麻辣烫 (málà tang) eatery then you might recognize some of these products. They specialize in a variety of breakfast meats such as mushroom meatballs, soybean ham sausages, and even salted soy protein fish. They also offer a variety of condiments, relishes, and oils you might never have thought to try. My eye is currently on a bottle of Porcini oil. This shop leans heavily into mushrooms, which is a great source of protein and a nice break from your run-of-the-mill soy-meat substitutes.
Omnipork focuses on a type of meat particularly favored this side of the world – pork. The meat on offer is made entirely of Shiitake mushroom, pea, non-GMO soy, and rice. What's more, it has the added benefit of being Halal-certified. And for those with nut allergies, Omnipork contains no traces of nuts. These products are available in the Greencommon Taobao store, which happens to be Omnipork’s parent company.
This article originally appeared on our sister publication beijingkids.
Images: Szabo Viktor (via Unsplash), beyondmeat.com, Mark Allan Karanja
advertisement