First meals in India

CupcakeCaro · Jun 10th, 2005, 21:08

Hi all,
I know whether or not you get food-related illness in India is more or less luck of the draw (outside the basic water/sanitation precautions), but are there any foods you'd recommend starting out on to ease the adjustment? I read somewhere yogurt can be helpful - anyone know about that?

wandering_kat · Jun 10th, 2005, 21:10

Definitely try to eat yoghurt (curd) every day - it contains probiotics so will help your gut flora stay balanced whilst it deals with any nasty bacteria.

CupcakeCaro · Jun 10th, 2005, 21:18

But what is "curd"...is it solid or liquid? Do you eat it straight like cottage cheese or is it what's in lassis? Is it found in particular dishes or at restaurants do I just order curd? Sorry if I sound moronic, I just have no idea...

wandering_kat · Jun 10th, 2005, 21:21

Curd is yoghurt, but there you'll find it freshly made, as opposed to buying it in plastic containers in a shop. They make it fresh every day, and you can order it in restaurants - either on its own or as part of a meal. It's also used for lassis, but if you have a lassi be aware that ice/water may have been added.

webtraveller · Jun 10th, 2005, 21:42

Curd is freshly cultured yogurt from milk. Boiling Milk and adding a spoonful of curd to luke warm milk and resting for 8 to 12 hours depending on the room temperature will produce curd. After the formation of the curd, it should be refregirated otherwise will start becoming sour. Curd does not have any sugars. It aids digestion, helps keep your water level and a cooling agent for the body in hot climates. Buttermilk is loosely blended drinkable curd (water is used for making it fluid). Lassi on contrary will contain either natural sugars like mango etc or just sugar cane sugar and liquid consistency for drinking. Buttermilk and Lassi if not made from clean water "may" contain contaminants. But Fresh Curds will not 99.99% of the time.
(Silly me?)

shpatel · Jun 10th, 2005, 21:48

Definitely eat lots of yogurt. Also depending on what region of India you fly into, you can start by eating dosas/idli and sambar in the south or try some dal makani & naan in the north. This should help you adjust to the flavors and spices of India.

The most important thing to remember is to try and avoid the street stalls and also when searching for a restaurant make sure the place has high traffic as this will assure you that the food is being prepared freshly.

michep2 · Jun 10th, 2005, 22:03

There is a vitamin - Acidopholis - that does the same thing as yogurt. I took this every day with each meal while in India and was fine.

LaContessa · Jun 10th, 2005, 22:14

Good advice, BUT, what if like me, you happen to hate the stuff?

seventies'hippy · Jun 11th, 2005, 01:02

Quote:

Originally Posted by LaContessa

Good advice, BUT, what if like me, you happen to hate the stuff?

Don'y worry about it, You'll come to no harm,. Just take the normal basic precautions,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,

DoDi · Jun 11th, 2005, 01:20

Eat a red banana after your meal.... it's good for digestion.

shpatel · Jun 11th, 2005, 01:28

Quote:

Originally Posted by michep2

There is a vitamin - Acidopholis - that does the same thing as yogurt. I took this every day with each meal while in India and was fine.

Acidophilus is actually a bacteria. In fact its the same bacteria thats found in yogurt.

Nick-H · Jun 11th, 2005, 01:43

Quote:

Originally Posted by michep2

There is a vitamin - Acidopholis - that does the same thing as yogurt. I took this every day with each meal while in India and was fine.

Michep2, it isn't a vitamin it is a bacteria. One of the 'friendly' bacteria found in the gut which help to digest our food and keep us fit.

One problem with taking Acidopholis is that it is supposed to be kept refridgerated. There is a special travel brand I used last year that doesn't require to be kept cold.

Another thing about Acidopholis is that it is only one of the bugs we need inside us.

Curd is great (unless you don't like it of course). Freshly made it lacks the sourness of many western yoghurts. It is most useful with a meal to kill the fire of too much chilli, makes a great drink, salt, sweet or fruit. Check out This lassi thread for a start: it gets discussed a lot here.

crvlvr · Jun 11th, 2005, 03:13

Quote:

but are there any foods you'd recommend starting out on to ease the adjustment

Fruits..

dan37_123 · Jun 11th, 2005, 04:22

hi,
a good stuff, that can neutralize any damn thing is a nice spicy salad made up of oinion and garlic (green chillng , that is if you can stand it). At first you might feel it is drilling holes in your stomach, but dont worry, it does a better job at killing all those bugs.

good luck
dan

freenote · Jun 11th, 2005, 05:03

Lassie or curd = Helps your system get used to local flora and fauna.
If it ain't well cooked don't eat it.
to much fruit gets you running to the w/ c (or the bush)
If you are a meat eater carry on with the practice.The system shock of changing could cause problems. (the chicken and mutton dishes are great!!)
Steer clear of raw salads. Looks and sounds healthy,but you don't no, how well, and in what they have been washed in .
If you enjoy your food, prepere for a gastronomical delights.
Masala dosa for breakfast.Good start for the day.
and of course only bottled water.

Jun 10th, 2005, 21:08	#1
CupcakeCaro Member Join Date: Jun 2005 Location: Philadelphia, USA Posts: 9	First meals in India Hi all, I know whether or not you get food-related illness in India is more or less luck of the draw (outside the basic water/sanitation precautions), but are there any foods you'd recommend starting out on to ease the adjustment? I read somewhere yogurt can be helpful - anyone know about that?

Jun 10th, 2005, 21:10	#2
wandering_kat All India Permit Join Date: Oct 2004 Location: Cape Town Posts: 342	Definitely try to eat yoghurt (curd) every day - it contains probiotics so will help your gut flora stay balanced whilst it deals with any nasty bacteria. __________________ *Sorry, but my karma just ran over your dogma*

Jun 10th, 2005, 21:48	#6
shpatel Made in India Join Date: Apr 2005 Location: Chicago, USA Posts: 109	Definitely eat lots of yogurt. Also depending on what region of India you fly into, you can start by eating dosas/idli and sambar in the south or try some dal makani & naan in the north. This should help you adjust to the flavors and spices of India. The most important thing to remember is to try and avoid the street stalls and also when searching for a restaurant make sure the place has high traffic as this will assure you that the food is being prepared freshly. __________________ Let the world change you...and you can change the world -Ernesto Guevara de la Serna

Jun 10th, 2005, 22:03	#7
michep2 Member Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: hoboken, nj Posts: 37	There is a vitamin - Acidopholis - that does the same thing as yogurt. I took this every day with each meal while in India and was fine. __________________ you don't find India, it finds you....

Jun 10th, 2005, 22:14	#8
LaContessa Diabla Supreme Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: United Kingdom Posts: 122	Good advice, BUT, what if like me, you happen to hate the stuff? __________________ It seemed like a good thing to do at the time.......

Jun 10th, 2005, 21:18	#3
CupcakeCaro Member Join Date: Jun 2005 Location: Philadelphia, USA Posts: 9	But what is "curd"...is it solid or liquid? Do you eat it straight like cottage cheese or is it what's in lassis? Is it found in particular dishes or at restaurants do I just order curd? Sorry if I sound moronic, I just have no idea...

Jun 10th, 2005, 21:21	#4
wandering_kat All India Permit Join Date: Oct 2004 Location: Cape Town Posts: 342	Curd is yoghurt, but there you'll find it freshly made, as opposed to buying it in plastic containers in a shop. They make it fresh every day, and you can order it in restaurants - either on its own or as part of a meal. It's also used for lassis, but if you have a lassi be aware that ice/water may have been added.

Jun 10th, 2005, 21:42	#5
webtraveller Senior Member Join Date: Sep 2004 Location: SF Bay Area Posts: 191	Curd is freshly cultured yogurt from milk. Boiling Milk and adding a spoonful of curd to luke warm milk and resting for 8 to 12 hours depending on the room temperature will produce curd. After the formation of the curd, it should be refregirated otherwise will start becoming sour. Curd does not have any sugars. It aids digestion, helps keep your water level and a cooling agent for the body in hot climates. Buttermilk is loosely blended drinkable curd (water is used for making it fluid). Lassi on contrary will contain either natural sugars like mango etc or just sugar cane sugar and liquid consistency for drinking. Buttermilk and Lassi if not made from clean water "may" contain contaminants. But Fresh Curds will not 99.99% of the time. (Silly me?)

Jun 11th, 2005, 01:20	#10
DoDi Nodal Agent Join Date: Feb 2005 Location: I live in my cube. Posts: 215	Eat a red banana after your meal.... it's good for digestion.

Jun 11th, 2005, 04:22	#14
dan37_123 Senior Member Join Date: May 2005 Location: Europe Posts: 404	onion,garlic and chilli salad that vaporises bugs hi, a good stuff, that can neutralize any damn thing is a nice spicy salad made up of oinion and garlic (green chillng , that is if you can stand it). At first you might feel it is drilling holes in your stomach, but dont worry, it does a better job at killing all those bugs. good luck dan

Jun 11th, 2005, 05:03	#15
freenote senior member refused Join Date: Feb 2004 Location: cornwall UK Posts: 1,554	Lassie or curd = Helps your system get used to local flora and fauna. If it ain't well cooked don't eat it. to much fruit gets you running to the w/ c (or the bush) If you are a meat eater carry on with the practice.The system shock of changing could cause problems. (the chicken and mutton dishes are great!!) Steer clear of raw salads. Looks and sounds healthy,but you don't no, how well, and in what they have been washed in . If you enjoy your food, prepere for a gastronomical delights. Masala dosa for breakfast.Good start for the day. and of course only bottled water.

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