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India Food
India impressions - exquisite! The assortment of flavors presented during an Indian meal is overwhelming. Lea and I ate at numerous excellent restaurants in India and were rarely disappointed. The food is often spicy, but there is often raita to cool down the fire.
Some of my favorites include:
achar - these spiced "pickles" are served as a condiment with most Indian meals; they have a tart and red pepper taste and can only be eaten in small quantities . . . at least by me.
paratha - Indians have a plethora of different breads and this is one of my favorites. Paratha is bread made with ghee (clarified butter) and cooked on a hot plate. Often these breads are stuffed with things like potatoes, cottage cheese, vegetables, and spices. I also enjoy dipping these wonderful breads in a mint chutney . . .
curried vegetables - it would be hard to have a discussion on Indian food and not mention curry. This assortment of spices (curry is not a spice in and of itself; it is a combination of different spices) cooked with chick peas, potatoes, lentils, eggs, etc and served with hot rice always pleases. The sauce is usually thick and creamy and therefore goes well with naan.
naan - another Indian bread; this one is cooked in a clay pot called a tandoor. It is a simple thin bread that is cooked quickly, but can be jazzed-up with garlic or onions. This was a staple for most of my meals and its simplicity complemented the complex flavors in the other foods.
palak paneer - this is one that we had not tried before arriving in India. I wish I would have gotten a picture of this one, as it is very colorful. Spinach is mashed and combined with a cream sauce and chunks of cottage cheese are cooked in the mixture. This dish is rather mild and goes well with one of the fiery curry dishes.
cheese tandoori - there are many tandoori dishes including, chicken, lamb, cheese. Since Lea and I decided to go vegetarian for our trips to Nepal and India (illness prevention . . . ), we were only able to try the cheese tandoori, though I know the others are just as excellent. The tandoor (clay pot) cooking results in delicate and savory dishes. The cheese one tasted great dipped in mint chutney.
masala dosa - paper thin pancakes made from lentils and rice flour. They are then stuffed with spiced vegetables, meats, cheeses, etc.
The complexity and variety of flavors in Indian food makes meals extremely fun. Often at dinner we would have 7 or 8 different types of food on our plates . . . curried vegetables, something from the tandoor, mint chutney, achar, raw onions, rice, naan, raita, and beer. I really enjoy having lots of food to try at meals and therefore thoroughly enjoyed eating in India.