I have recently found myself longing for the excellent (vegetarian) meals that I experienced every day while traveling in India in January. Vegetarian food is ubiquitous, with most restaurants advertising whether they serve “non-veg” or “pure-veg” meals. More often than not, there were always pure-veg menu items available at every restaurant. I was in heaven.
After perusing through an Indian cookbook this morning, I started salivating and fantasizing about some of the feasts that I enjoyed in India. Here are some of my faves:
This was one of the more beautiful meals that was served. This was from the Mango Tree Restaurant in Hampi. It’s a thali meal, which includes various small dishes to dip your roti (bread) into.
This was dinner at a lovely back-alley restaurant that I discovered in Udaipur. I say “discovered” because it wasn’t in a guide book but there were signs that led me down about five side streets before I finally found this lovely, slightly upscale restaurant. This meal consists of an eggplant and tomato dish as well as beans and fried paneer.
This was breakfast at a Tibetan hotel/restaurant in Delhi. Oh how I miss this Tibetan bread. I cannot find it anywhere in Seattle – if you know where I can find it, let me know. It’s almost like a large English muffin, but so much better 🙂
As a result of my exposure to all this wonderful pure-veg food, I’ve given up even fish and seafood since returning from India. I often indulged in calamari, shrimp and tilapia, but no more. Don’t need it for protein and I feel better. Now it’s grains and beans (my Mom would be proud).
Happy Travels!
Meg Noble Peterson says
I’m right there with you on the veggie food. I haven’t been able to eat seafood for years (allergic), but I also couldn’t eat the Indian food twenty years ago. This past three months I’ve rediscovered the foods you so tantalyzingly have pictured in your Kodak album and in this column. They now REALLY do make them without the heavy chilis and hot spices, so, for me, it was a great new experience. Palak paneer and several others you mentioned were/are favorites. I also loved the Tibetan bread at Majnu–the kind that is like large English muffins, but NOT that soft, spongey stuff that comes with the sizzlers. Can’t think of the name, but you know what I mean. It’s the white round bread that the kids at the TCV school always hold above their heads as they chant their blessings before meals. Sorry. Jet lag has clogged my brain. Meg
Administrator says
I actually don’t know about the soft, spongy ones, Meg. It brings tears to my eyes when I think about the English muffin-type. I want one SO badly and would love to be back there RIGHT NOW!