Kaju Katli, a popular sweet dish made with kaju or cashew paste, sugar and ghee, is the perfect companion to most festivals and special occasions in Indian cuisine. Traditionally it is considered a vegetarian preparation, but one aspect of its preparation has raised questions about its vegetarian qualities. silver varq (leaf) traditionally used to decorate this dessert. According to a recent video posted by Dr. Ravi K Gupta, an American board-certified hematologist-oncologist, the Kaju Katli that everyone loves may not be a completely vegetarian dish. Do you want to know why? Take a look.

The controversy over the silver varq
Kaju Katli has been the subject of much scrutiny due to its shimmering silver appearance. This was achieved in the good old silver varq, which is still prepared from thin slices of silver sandwiched between materials like buffalo hide or intestines; pounded into an ultra-thin layer. The tricky question of whether desserts using silver varq, like Kaju Katli, can be classified as vegetarian weighs heavily on their traditions.

According to this video, the silver varq applied on the diamond shaped diamond Kaju Barfi traditionally applied easily with buffalo hide. The use of animal materials in the preparation of silver varq has been one of the controversial issues in recent times, especially among vegetarians and strictly practicing dieters. The final silver coating itself contains no meat or gelatin, but the manufacturing process contradicts ethical or religious beliefs, making this candy questionable for vegetarians.

In 2016, the FSSAI, through a notification dated July 15, 2016, had banned the use of silver foil made using the traditional method, which involved the use of the intestine of a cow or buffalo, calling it unsanitary and a risk of infection and contamination of the silver leaf. While the then Delhi government followed the directive and banned animal materials due to unsanitary conditions, the Delhi High Court lifted its stay order regarding silver varq in 2018, as most of the people in the company requested that they offer representation. before the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) to demonstrate that their method was hygienic and without any risk of contamination.
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Choose a vegetarian varq
This has caused a turnaround in the industry in recent years, with growing demand for ethical, vegetarian silver varq. Increasingly, manufacturers are using synthetic substitutes or machines that do not require animal products in the varq manufacturing process. Vegetarian certification is becoming more and more common and reputable confectioneries and brands clearly label their products to reassure customers.

If you’re buying Kaju Katli, it’s best to ask where they source the silver varq or look for brands that use certified vegetarian silver leaf. Or Kaju Katli without silver varq is equally tasty and vegetarian for those who care about this issue.

Tips for Identifying Vegetarian Kaju Katli

To make sure that Kaju Katli is also vegetarian, be sure to check the label, as many manufacturers now list whether silver varq is vegetarian. Also be sure to ask the seller for the source of the silver varq when purchasing from a local store. Last but not the least, some sweet shops offer Kaju Katli without any silver coating to ensure that it is vegetarian. So, you can opt for Kaju Katli without silver varq.

(Image courtesy: Canva)