The food in India: Oh, the food!

I ask for kebabs at an airport, and get chicken legs in a cup. What’s up with that?

Fresh samosas — Indian pastries filled with meat or veggies — from a shop. Much more satisfying than the puny frozen kind at home.

Making pickled cucumbers …

… Served at dinner with two favorite Indian staples, fluffy basmati rice and yogurt.

As I found out at breakfast, there’s an art to eating mangoes. The secret’s in the slicing.

Almond milk: Creamy refreshment when working in 100-degree heat — in the shade.

Sweets in India are a far cry from Hostess Twinkies and Ding Dongs.

They’re more along the order of sweetened carrots (without the cake) and nuts.

To the left, fish masala; on the right, cauliflower and potatoes. Who knew cauliflower, never one of my favorites, could taste so divine?

The ingredients for my cooking class at the Aalankrita Resort. Staples like turmeric, garlic, chili peppers, coriander, cumin and onions. The skilled chefs patiently showed me how to literally turn the heat up or down to make my favorite foods — like the cauliflower and potato dish — just the way I liked them. **Recipe at bottom.

Cashew cookies from Hyderabad’s famous Karachi Bakery. Despite the name, it’s an Indian — not a Pakistani — company. Never had a chance to get any in town, so was happy to see them at the airport. They were dinner on my way out.

Oh, and if you pig out too much, no problem. Just head here:

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**Recipe for one of my favorites, straight from the chef at the Aalankrita Resort: Potato Cauliflower Masala. Sorry, but you’re on your own with the measurements.

POTATO CAULIFLOWER MASALA

                                                                  04 PEOPLE

METHOD

1. WASH, PEEL AND CUT POTATOES INTO CUBES, COOK IT 75% AND KEEP IT ASIDE, USING SALT AND TURMERIC POWDER.
2. CUT CAULIFLOWER INTO FLOWERETS AND COOK IT 75 5 AND KEEP IT ASIDE, USING SALT AND TURMERIC POWDER.
3. TAKE A PAN ADD OIL, WHEN IT IS HOT ADD CUMIN SEEDS,CHOPPED GARLIC, CHOPPED OINION, SLITE GREEN CHILI AND COOK IT TILL GOLDEN BROWN IN COLOUR.
4. ADD TURMERIC POWDER, CHILI POWDER, CUMIN POWDER AND SAUTE’ FOR 2-3 MINTS.
5. ADD YELLOW GRAVY AND RED GRAVY AND COOK IT FOR 4-5 MINTS, ADD CHOPPED CORIANDER LEAF AND CHECK FOR SALT.WHEN IT IS SEMI DRY REMOVE AND CHANGE IT TO A SERVING BOWL,GARNISH IT WITH CHOPPED CORIANDER LEAF AND SERVE HOT.

FOR YELLOW GRAVY

1. ONION –                                       150 GMS
2. TOMATO PUREE –                         50 GMS
3. CASHEW NUT –                          25 GMS
4. TURMERIC POWDER –             02 GMS
5. CHILI POWDER –                     03 GMS
6. GINGER & GARLIC PASTE –    50 GMS
7. CINNAMOM,CARDAMON           01 GMS
8.  CLOVES,BAY LEAF –               01 GMS
9. MELON SEED –                          15 GMS
10. POPPY SEED –                            10 GMS
11. OIL –                                             150 ML
12. SALT –                                         TO TASTE.

METHOD:-

1. BOIL RUFLY CUT ONION, WASHED CASHEW NUT, MELON SEEDS AND POPPY SEEDS TOGETHER AND WHEN IT IS COOKED MAKE IT FINE PASTE IN THE BLENDER.
2. IN A HUNDI ADD OIL WHEN IT IS HOT ADD CINNAMON, CARDAMOM, CLOVES AND BAY LEAF, SAUTE’ FOR ONE MINT AND ADD GINGER & GARLIC PASTE AND SAUTE’ IT FOR 3 -4 MINTS.
3. ADD TURMERIC POWDER, CHILI POWDER AND SAUTE’ IT FOR  AN OTHER 2 -3 MINTS THEN ADD THE TOMATO PUREE AND COOK FOR 3 -4 MINTS.
4. WHEN IT IS DONE ADD THE ONION AND CASHEW MIXTURE AND MIX WELL.
5. ADD 200 ML OF WATER AND COOK FOR 45 MINTS IN A SLOW FLAME AND CHECK FOR SALT.

FOR RED GRAVY

01. TOMATO       –                                  250 GMS

02. CASHEW NUT –                               15 GMS

03. GINGER & GARLIC PASTE –         25 GMS

04. KASHMIRI CHILI POWDER –      02 GMS

05. OIL                                            –       100 GMS

06. TURMERIC POWDER        –          01 GMS

07. CINNAMON, CLOVES –                    01 GMS

08. BAY LEAF, CARDAMOM –           01 GMS

09. SALT                                       –        TO TASTE

METHOD:-    

1. BOIL TOMATO AND CASHEW NUT TO GETHER, WHEN IT IS COOKED MAKE A FINE PASTE IN BLENDER.
2. TAKE A HUNDI ( VESSEL ) ADD OIL, WHEN IT IS HOT ADD CINANON, CARDAMOM, CLOVES AND BAY LEAF AND SAUTE’ FOR ONE MINT AND ADD GINGER & GARLIC PASTE SAUTE’ IT FOR 2 -3 MINTS.
3. ADD TURMERIC POWDER AND KASHMIRI CHILI POWDER AND SAUTE’ TWO MINTS. THEN ADD THE MIXTURE AND MIX WELL, ADD 150 ML OF WATER AND COOK FOR 30 MINTS IN A SLOW FLAME, CHECK FOR SALT.