A Foodie's Tour of India

If you happen to serve me a bowl of chow, I will tend to eat it without complaint.  But then, as wine is to France and Pasta is to Italy, there is curry and there is India.  Actually curry is such a misnomer.  Indians and Indian restaurants hardly discuss 'curry.'

I joined up with two friends from Philadelphia on a trip through India.  In the first week, we were to hit the Golden Triangle (Delhi, Agra, Jaipur) with Mumbai as their exit point and my continuing on for another week through a southern swing touching Hyderabad, Chennai and Coimbatore.

In planning the trip, we discussed two choices:  Option A.  Hit the major monuments and have good food or Option B.  Ensure a great culinary experience, and accompanied by questions such as 'hey, is that the Taj over there?'  I am delighted option B won hands down.

Curries in such a flavorful combination was never had before - in such a unrelenting stint.  I thank the chefs, restauranters, friends for their graciousness in hosting us and a sincere thanks to my stomach for holding up through this adventure!!

Here then are my top 10 culinary delights from this tour of India:

10. Hyderabadi Biriyani

While a Hyderabadi Biriyani should be had in Hyderabad, in as much as a Philly Cheesesteak should be had in Philly, several stops in our tour had this available on the menue - and we induldged in this offering more than once.

A rice dish served sumptuously with rice, vegetables and meats (such as goat or chicken) mixed in flavored with coriander and colored with saffron.  This is comfort food for the high life.  Add a dash of raita (yogurt flavored with a dash of spice) and the brain positively melts and a food coma is not too far behind.





 
9. Kebab

Oh sure, what's a skewer with some meat thrown on it, on the grill to fuss about?  Flavor, flavor, flavor is a mantra that would make a real estate agent proud.

Seekh Kebab

Two Kebabs served at the all vegetarian Saravana Bhavan in Chennai took the honors.  The Vegetable Seekh Kebab (mixed vegetables & chopped cashews cooked in a clay pot) and the Mushroom Seekh Kebab (Minced mushroom chopped cashews cooked in a oven) took the honors.  The flavors were so rich and complex that it is hard to describe.  But astonishingly light on the stomach.





8. Pani Puri & Dahi Batata Puri

Not having grown up with delighting in Pani Puris and Dahi Batata Puris on the streets of Mumbai, I was not sure why my family was swooning so much as our guests graciously hosted us to a sumptuous dinner.  The appetizers are too many and too varied to describe.  But one gulp of the said 'puris' and I was transported.

Pani Puri

Both the puris are served with a teeny tiny flaky roti type shell.  You puncture a hole in it and stuff it with fillings you are provided.  And then you lace it with 'pani' (flavored water) - and thus the name pani-puri.

You lose track of time as you swish through these puris.  It is best to keep the fingers on one hand busy counting, so that you are not way too many puris in - since there is more of the dinner to come.

Alas, the pani puri rookie that I am, I lost count and had to sacrifice on the mega-magnificient desert that was servced up!


7. Dhokla - Gujarati

White Dhokla

Wait, wait.  Have to address at least one appetizer that our friends served.  The Gujarati dhokla.  This delightful nutritious snack is popular all over the country and is served with tamarind and mint-coriander chutneys.  They are usually seen colored yellow, but our friends served it white with some mysterious seasonings on top that were, well, mysteriously flavorful.







6. Eggplant Chinese Style

Indo-Chinese food is all the rage in India.  I thought there were more chinese restaurants than all other international restaurants combined, at least in the urban centers.  We went to this outstanding chinese restaurant called 'Royal China.'  Their menu was an iPad App, and we ordered off it - cool!

It is unlikely that you will hear me complain if there is ANY sort of tomato serving on the table (including ketchup).  Furthermore, the quickest way to see a smile on my face is to hint that there is eggplant in the vicinity.  So imagine my surprise, that in a twist this upscale joint in tony South Mumbai, offered up a combination of eggplant with a hint of tomato in the sauce served eggplant-with-garlic-sauce style chinese entree offering!

My friends were oohing and aaahing about their chicken and other dishes (even vowing to return the next day); but I was in a zone to myself - very zen.

5. Pizza Fiama

I know your feelings exactly.  I travel 3,000 miles and rave about Pizza and put it #5 on the list no less?  Well, please visit the Taj President and join the hustle bustle at the Trattoria.  As I perused the menu I zeroed in on this Pizza- a onion, chilli pizza - on the spicier side.  An onion-chilli uthappam is a favorite dish for many.  Imagining that flavor, but on a pizza, we ordered this.  And the dish did not fail.

Can't wait to go back and order this again!


4. Khaima Idli - Southern Fusion

Kaima Idly

An idli is a popular, but rather prosaic southern Indian dish.  Purists might argue with me; but it is a milder, blander Dhokla described above.  However, an enterprising southerner decided to jazz the idli up quite a bit - and now you have a (perhaps unhealthy) deep-fried idli, called Kaima Idly.  The dish is a deep fried idly with onions, green chillies, curry leaves, capsicum pieces, tomato, chilli powder, turmeric and salt, garnished with coriander leaves.

I will confess that I do not know what gives the dish its red hue.





3. Neer Dosa

Neer Dosa

We had this interesting dish as an accompaniment to a 'thali' at Konkan Cafe in Mumbai.  Konkan is a region in the southern Indian state of Karnataka, primarily Goa.  Neer Dosa is a special kind of dosa from Karnataka prepared from rice. Neer in Kannada means ‘Water’. Neer dosa is prepared by grinding soaked rice into a thin watery batter and then made into crepes. 


This dosa comes out lacy thin and white.  Once a fan of dosa, always a fan of dosa.  Neer dosa has an other worldly simplicity and translucency to it, that a dosa officianado can appreciate.  



2. Pav Bhaji

We were pretty tired and late from a train trip between Agra and Jaipur.  By the time we checked in (garlanded by the receptionist, of course) and came down to the pavilion, the bar was shut.  We were ready to light up our cigars anyway.  Feeling ravenous, we ordered Pav Bhaji.  Pav is bread and Bhaji is vegetables.  This very popular street food and is primarily from the state of Maharashtra, but available all over these days.  But to be served this a 1 am, on the grounds of a Jaipur palace with the sounds of peacocks in the background was something special.


1.  Bukhara Dal

This was the #1 restaurant experience by a long shot.  And the Bukhara Dal was the #1 dish we had by a long shot.  The Bukhara restaurant is one of the most famous in India.  It was also made famous by becoming a favorite of Bill Clinton and has a dish named after him.  We went in a bit worried that it might be touristy fare.  Believe me, far from being so, this was a world class, top of the line dining experience.

The Bukhara Dal is so good that they actually bottle it!