Fair argument, unfortunately my life isn’t as cut and dry as that.
I’d say I run into this sort of situation maybe once or twice a year (f that). I do a lot of travel and reading trying to understand traditional food culture, ingredients and cooking techniques. I spend time with many cooks and chefs and attend many culinary events that aren’t veg-specific (I eat vegetarian in these instances and try to give chefs the heads up before I get there). Occasionally (but rarely) I run into a situation where I am served, for example in this case, a soup. I tasted it, recognized it was clearly made with a chicken broth. I came home and did a version of it that fits in with the way I eat – now I can enjoy the soup often.
Am I going to beat myself up over it, no.

mike, i have to disagree. when people who claim to be vegan/vegetarian go around eating meat every now and then–for whatever reason–it hurts people who truly are vegans/vegetarians. when soi-disant “vegans” eat meat, they are simply not vegans. they are meat-eaters. i agree that the more people out there eating less meat, the better, but the labels vegatarian and vegan are clear. you’d never see a vegetarian restaurant carry one beef dish, for example. these labels exist, and are helpful, no matter why one chooses to forgo meat. but when they become bastardized, they lose their value. one who is abstinant doesn’t have sex to “educate their palette,” just as one who is truly vegetarian doesn’t taste meat as a learning exercise.

amy, pam–you’re missing the point. not all choices about vegetarianism and veganism are simple cases of ethical rights or wrongs. heidi is 100% right to want to understand everything about what she’s doing. that’s a large component in knowing when and why you you’re doing it correctly, like being vegetarian and vegan, for example.

Stop “educating your palette” and compromising your food choice ethics. Be an ethical vegetarian! Go vegan! Don’t eat any more animals or animal products.You’re well on your way but a vegetarian doesn’t eat any animals not just when they don’t feel like it!
I like chickpeas too.

In Thailand, they have Kao Suay, with many variations, but most have crunchy and boiled noodles in a curry. The Shan do it with a tomato sauce. Mmm…..

a “vegetarian” is someone who does not eat meat. not someone who tastes it from time to time.

That looks so delicious! Did you take the picture?

That pasta looks like it could speak Italian to me!
I haven’t been here for a while but each time I visit I am in heaven.

Looks wonderful. I’d be interested to know if you were able to discern a difference between the chicken broth version and your veggie version.

Great site, great content, great recipes. You should take a look at the Cook’n Recipe Organizer to keep all the great recipes organized on your computer.

I must have missed this soup when I was in Italy, and what a shame! It looks so good. I love chick peas and noodles, so I’ll have to try it. Thanks for the recipe.