As my visit to India comes to an end, I take back a lot of memories — smiles, hospitality, warmth, friendship, love — all bundled into a quarter-sized SD card. While I will miss my two sets of parents, my nephews and niece, my Nani, and the abundance of pampering I’ve received, what I will miss most is the food.
All I’ve done these past three weeks is eat. From 7 a.m. until 11 p.m. an assortment of dishes was always making its way from the kitchen to my lap. If it wasn’t parathas or roti sabzi, it was chaat, falooda, dry fruits, or biscuits. I complained to my dad at one point early in my first week here that I was going into a food coma. He laughed and said, “It happens only once every two-to-three years, so enjoy it.”
That’s when I stopped resisting and indulged.
Although we get plenty of good Indian food back in the Bay Area, it doesn’t taste anywhere close to the meals prepared here. Be it a 5-star restaurant or a streetside vendor, the food here has its own unique flavor. And then there’s ma ke haath ka khaana (mom’s cooking) — nothing surpasses that.
I will let the pictures speak for themselves … savor this culinary experience. When you see me back in San Jose 11 pounds heavier, you will know I truly did.
Copyright secured by Digiprove © 2010 Mansi Bhatia
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11 pounds??!! I don’t believe it. We’ll be walking that off soon enough. I’ve one avocado I was thinking just might make it until you returned. For one thing, I don’t think it will. It should be ready tomorrow. For another, you don’t need it!! Kidding! We’ve missed you and look forward to seeing you on Monday. Early welcome back to you!
PS: Got any of that “ma ke haath ka khaana” in your suitecase!!
The photos are good! It made me hungry!