For me, it feels silly to talk about food unless I’m trying to sell it.
I don’t like to splash my saliva around imagining food. I rather sit and eat. And please don’t be misguided by tiny me - I eat a lot.
Tearful and disappointing - that's how I could describe my first Indian food experience.
It’s funny to remember but it was simple rice and vegetables that tricked me the very first time. I mean, it was just that - rice and vegetables but beautifully mixed with masala and fried chilli pieces. My poor stomach (previously befriended by salt and pepper only) couldn’t take it without whining and moaning. And gulping a bucket of water after a spoonful bite...
Then, step by step, it got better. My stomach became more open to tasting experiences. Eventually, after months of back and forth… Love was light ignited. I became a real fan of Indian food experience. And that’s exactly what I mean.
Not only food in the plate matters. But experience. Sitting with people, chatting, sharing food, having hands busy tearing rotis, chapattis, naans, mixing in some onions with a drop of lemon juice, dipping into incredibly flavored gravies and sauces and chutneys...
If you still aren't seduced, check my Top 9 Favorites and open your mouth wider for new exciting flavors:
2. Vada pav is native to my beloved Maharashtra. In few words, it’s a very simple Indian burger consisting of fried potato sandwiched between two slices of a pav (bread). Easy and filling!
4. Masala Dosa – the first Indian dish I started eating religiously. Masala Dosa is basically a fermented pancake stuffed with spiced potatoes, usually served with white coconut and red vegetable chutneys. If you don’t take my words for granted, listen to CNN Go that listed masala dosa on World's 50 Most Delicious Foods in 2011.
6. Butter Chicken – marinated chicken cooked in a special sauce made from butter, tomato puree and various spices. Once I got myself involved in my own experiment where I ate butter chicken every single day for a week, and still couldn’t get enough of it. Says a lot!
7. Bhindi Bhaji or Bhindi Sabzi – a very popular Indian dish, easily made and yummilicious. It’s basically fried okra (or lady fingers) in a dry curry. A very popular choice on my lunch menu.
8. Aloo tikki chole chaat – the best Indian snack for me! Made with spiced potato patties, chutneys, chola masala, onions and special sauces, it stimulates your tasting buds in a very interesting way.
Eventually, you might also want to know that I call myself an Indian food pro without a degree because:
• I eat with hands like dogs bark
• I can cook half of these dishes myself (without Youtube's help!)
• I know where to find Masala Dabba (container for spices) and how to use it
• I don’t cry after chilli dishes (only sweat!)
• I eat onions with my food like it’s tomato sauce.
P.S. Did you cry when you had your first Indian dish? Share with me your Indian food experiences, I’d love to hear I'm not alone.
I don’t like to splash my saliva around imagining food. I rather sit and eat. And please don’t be misguided by tiny me - I eat a lot.
Cooking Mess: making potato pancakes for my Indian colleagues
Alert: danger in the plate
Then, step by step, it got better. My stomach became more open to tasting experiences. Eventually, after months of back and forth… Love was light ignited. I became a real fan of Indian food experience. And that’s exactly what I mean.
Not only food in the plate matters. But experience. Sitting with people, chatting, sharing food, having hands busy tearing rotis, chapattis, naans, mixing in some onions with a drop of lemon juice, dipping into incredibly flavored gravies and sauces and chutneys...
If you still aren't seduced, check my Top 9 Favorites and open your mouth wider for new exciting flavors:
1. Pav bhaji - one of the most popular snacks in India as well as one of the most sinful bites to your belly (as pav is usually buttered on all sides). Pav means bread and Bhaji in Marathi means vegetable dish. One of the best pav bhajis I’ve ever had was in a little restaurant in Pune where I actually had to wait for over 45 minutes to get a seat. Indians love this snack!
2. Vada pav is native to my beloved Maharashtra. In few words, it’s a very simple Indian burger consisting of fried potato sandwiched between two slices of a pav (bread). Easy and filling!
Smiling Eyes: vada pav seller at the station
3. Momos – it’s a type of dumpling served with red spicy sauce. I’ve tried so many momos places and the best ones, surprise surprise, were cooked by simple street vendors in Pune. Of course I first made tens of my friends eat there before I risked with my own spoiled European stomach.4. Masala Dosa – the first Indian dish I started eating religiously. Masala Dosa is basically a fermented pancake stuffed with spiced potatoes, usually served with white coconut and red vegetable chutneys. If you don’t take my words for granted, listen to CNN Go that listed masala dosa on World's 50 Most Delicious Foods in 2011.
Mouth watering masala dosa
5. Palak paneer - a dish made from spinach and paneer - Indian version of cottage cheese. I love its creamy rich texture and beautiful green colour. It also makes me feel like I'm eating spoons of health and wellness. 6. Butter Chicken – marinated chicken cooked in a special sauce made from butter, tomato puree and various spices. Once I got myself involved in my own experiment where I ate butter chicken every single day for a week, and still couldn’t get enough of it. Says a lot!
7. Bhindi Bhaji or Bhindi Sabzi – a very popular Indian dish, easily made and yummilicious. It’s basically fried okra (or lady fingers) in a dry curry. A very popular choice on my lunch menu.
8. Aloo tikki chole chaat – the best Indian snack for me! Made with spiced potato patties, chutneys, chola masala, onions and special sauces, it stimulates your tasting buds in a very interesting way.
Find Of The Year: aloo tikki chole chaat
9. Baingan Bharta - primarily made from a smoked eggplant mashed with vegetables and some masala. I love its soft texture and special smoky smell; goes very well with rotis as well as rice.Eventually, you might also want to know that I call myself an Indian food pro without a degree because:
• I eat with hands like dogs bark
• I can cook half of these dishes myself (without Youtube's help!)
• I know where to find Masala Dabba (container for spices) and how to use it
• I don’t cry after chilli dishes (only sweat!)
• I eat onions with my food like it’s tomato sauce.
P.S. Did you cry when you had your first Indian dish? Share with me your Indian food experiences, I’d love to hear I'm not alone.
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