Food...
I am eating very well in India. Street food that is hot (or fried again to reheat/kill germs) is generally safe, and street stalls and small restaurants make delicious Indian staples. Bottled water, fresh fruit, crackers, snacks and juices are easy to find.
I spent the past week in Varanasi. India continues to marvel me with its high highs and low lows. I was a little sick for a short while, but bounced back fast...
Puri (or Poori) is a typical breakfast or snack food in North India. Puri is the puffed, fried bread rounds and is served with a potato, chickpea, or lentil curry. At restaurants you often gets a jalebi with your meal- the swirly orange thing- which is basically a miniature funnel cake that is soaked in super sweet syrup after frying. The price at a basic restaurant: .25-.27 cents.
One of my favorite simple lunch dishes is uppama/upma, a thick semolina porridge-like dish served with sambar, a spicy vegetable soup, and delicious kobbari pacchadi, coconut chutney. The price at a basic restaurant: .40-.60 cents.
For many lunches and dinners, the "set" meal, the thali is the best, and most economical option. Thalis come with any combination of breads: naan, roti, chapati and rice with daal (lentil curry) and generally two more vegetable curries and pickle (a small serving of vegetables or fruits pickled in oil). Sometimes they also come with curd (yogurt), papad (a large crispy lentil flour "cracker") and a small salad of sliced onion, lime, radish or carrot. The price at a basic restaurant: .40 cents - $1.50.
I came back to Calcutta, where I am now, with the intention of returning to the Boi Mela, the largest book fair is Asia hosted in Calcutta for the past 32 years. However, it was canceled! I'm still happy to be here, and full of things to catch you up with- the nun, the orphanage, more attempts at extortion and a HUGE wedding!
I spent the past week in Varanasi. India continues to marvel me with its high highs and low lows. I was a little sick for a short while, but bounced back fast...
Puri (or Poori) is a typical breakfast or snack food in North India. Puri is the puffed, fried bread rounds and is served with a potato, chickpea, or lentil curry. At restaurants you often gets a jalebi with your meal- the swirly orange thing- which is basically a miniature funnel cake that is soaked in super sweet syrup after frying. The price at a basic restaurant: .25-.27 cents.
One of my favorite simple lunch dishes is uppama/upma, a thick semolina porridge-like dish served with sambar, a spicy vegetable soup, and delicious kobbari pacchadi, coconut chutney. The price at a basic restaurant: .40-.60 cents.
For many lunches and dinners, the "set" meal, the thali is the best, and most economical option. Thalis come with any combination of breads: naan, roti, chapati and rice with daal (lentil curry) and generally two more vegetable curries and pickle (a small serving of vegetables or fruits pickled in oil). Sometimes they also come with curd (yogurt), papad (a large crispy lentil flour "cracker") and a small salad of sliced onion, lime, radish or carrot. The price at a basic restaurant: .40 cents - $1.50.
I came back to Calcutta, where I am now, with the intention of returning to the Boi Mela, the largest book fair is Asia hosted in Calcutta for the past 32 years. However, it was canceled! I'm still happy to be here, and full of things to catch you up with- the nun, the orphanage, more attempts at extortion and a HUGE wedding!
posted by Maya at 8:34 PM
1 Comments:
The food looks really good and I'm glad you're feeling better. I can't wait to hear about this wedding (your not tieing the knot over there are you?)Eager to find out.
Sonia M Villarreal
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