One of the great delights of any visit to India is getting the chance to try all the wonderful food on offer. Indian food is undoubtedly amongst the best in the world and the variety of dishes on offer is almost endless. Across the country you can eat just about anything and everything. Each region has its own signature dishes, methods of preparation, and a unique combination of spices, and the food in India is always alive with colour, full of taste, and temptingly aromatic.
With this in mind, I thought I'd make a list of some of the foods I've enjoyed eating on my visit here before I go home and before I forget what things are called, or what they taste like (as I inevitably will). So below is a list of my favourites: the foods I've enjoyed eating again and again these last four months. Experts and connoisseurs will note that I am more South Indian in my tastes, and particularly well disposed towards South Indian 'chaats' (savoury snacks). They will also note that I have a very sweet tooth, but then anyone who knows me knows that...
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Food
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Barfi: fudge-like sweet made from milk.
Dhal: curried lentil dish.
Dosa: South Indian paper thin lentil flour pancake.
Egg Biryani: fragrant steamed rice with egg and vegetables.
Idli: South Indian spongy, round, fermented rice cake.
Ladoo/Ladu: sweetmeat ball made with gram flour and semolina.
Mutton Rogan Josh: fiery lamb or goat curry.
Mysore Pak: sweet made of ghee (clarified butter), sugar and chick pea (besan) flour.
Puri/Poori: flat dough that puffs up when deep fried.
Rasgulla: sweet little balls of cream cheese flavoured with rose water.
Rasmallai: cream to yellow coloured balls of cottage or ricotta cheese soaked in sweetened, thickened, creamy milk. The milk is flavoured with pistachios, saffron, and rosewater.
Sambar: dhal with cubed vegetables and puree.
Samosa: deep fried pastry triangles filled with spiced vegetables.
Tandoori Chicken: chicken marinated in a yogurt seasoned with garam masala - garlic, ginger, cumin, cayenne pepper, and other spices depending on the recipe. Traditionally moderately hot.
Uttappam: crisp collared rice flour and coconut milk pancakes.
Vada: snack shaped like a doughnut and made from lentil or potato (this is probably my favourite food of all).
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Drinks
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Masala Chai: very milky tea with a lot of sugar. Most masala chai incorporates one or more of the following: cardamon, cinnamon, ginger, star anise, pepper corn, and cloves. Other possible ingredients include nutmeg, chocolate, cocoa, vanilla, licorice or saffron.
Kingfisher: lager beer.
Lassi: refreshing yogurt and iced water drink.
Thums Up: fizzy cola a bit like Coca Cola (and owned by Coca Cola).
Toddy: alcoholic drink tapped from palm trees.
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