food items you couldn't stand, but now love

icetea · Nov 16th, 2006, 02:13

I'm just a bit bored, so I thought I'll start this thread

(can be shifted to off topic, I guess)

Which Indian food/drink items or spices you absolutely hated in the beginning, but then started to love by the time you left India, or as you stayed longer?

For my part, it was small things: the smell of cumin powder (~dirty socks smell), mustard seeds (burnt smell) and curry leaves. I'm still not very fond of mustard seeds, and cumin is more like "different", although I use both, but I now absolutely love the smell of fresh curry leaves. Mango is another thing which I didn't praise too much in the beginning, but it became quite addictive.

It's interesting to see how our taste changes when we don't simply outrule eating something that we don't like, and keep trying to have it.

Mio · Nov 16th, 2006, 02:40

Mixed pickles!

mmike56 · Nov 16th, 2006, 02:44

Leeks

Hate celery still.

peace 56mm

machadinha · Nov 16th, 2006, 03:27

Hmmm... paan?

Those nibbly seeds you take a handful of when leaving the restaurant (and are still busy picking the chaff from inbetween your teeth a few hours later)?

Darmabum · Nov 16th, 2006, 03:37

On a camel ride outside of Khuri years ago my driver asked me for a dollar as we pulled into a one-house town . . . came back with two bottles and a BIG smile on his face. I thought the bottles were green, turned out it was what was inside of them. Also lots of pieces of what looked like wood (turned out it was) floating around in it. Sat down that evening at sunset and he broke out the 'desert wine'. God it was awful. Bet if I had it again, it would still be awful . . . but if I could be on a dune outside of Khuri right NOW, I'd think it was the best stuff I ever had.

federica · Nov 16th, 2006, 03:55

Sambar that comes with Masala Dosa... and Pickles...

Nick-H · Nov 16th, 2006, 09:13

Sambar... yes, me too. Staple dish here, unavoidable almost...

Suppose I might get to like coriander one day --- but I don't see it happening anytime soon!

punchinello · Nov 16th, 2006, 09:33

Odd. All things I LOVE, especially coriander's clean, fresh taste. But you know what I don't eat that I'm going to try to live off? Bananas. And possibly eggs.

greenchutney · Nov 16th, 2006, 09:58

icetea..you are a south indian's wife and you didnt like curry leaves before?...

thats a deal breaker here....

yeah for me it was peanut butter, venpongal (strong black pepper flavored rice) along with that burnt (fire roasted) eggplant chutney...now i have learnt to like it......so was gooseberry chutney, drumstick sambhar...

have to think a bit hard about others....maybe come back and post if i remember...

cant live without peanut butter though........

Bigzero · Nov 16th, 2006, 11:34

srikhand. hated it the first time, absolutely love it now.

capt_mahajan · Nov 16th, 2006, 11:49

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bigzero

srikhand. hated it the first time, absolutely love it now.

then there is hope for me yet.

icetea · Nov 16th, 2006, 12:18

oh Nick..I absolutely love coriander leaves..I could munch on them just like that! I add heaps of it in every curry, when I have it.

Coriander was new to me, never seen it before coming here. Same with curry leaves.

(mango) shrikand...my goodness..it's my favorite Indian sweet

I love sour/curd-based stuff..I discovered it very late though.

pickles are another item which I couldn't really touch in the beginning...more because of it being spicy, rather than the taste. I now eat more pickles (mango) than my father-in-law, in fact I have to control myself not to eat more.

What I hated and still do is sambar (I guess I'm generaly not a fan of south Indian food, I find idli and dosa to be quite bland food, although I have them and occasionaly crave for a big nice dosa). I don't cook sambar either..although sometimes I pitty these people of mine..they have to do without it

Anyway, they are not that much of south Indians, as they were living more to the north all their life, so it's not such a tragedy. So daal will do as a staple food for lunch, and luckily I like that.

The eggplant chutney is amazing, it's one of our regular foods back in my home country (although used as a "salad", for sandwhiches and so), so I was very happy to see that they make it here also. Unfortunately lots of people hate it...while it's my all times favorite (especially with onion, some pork schnitzel and tomato salad

)

nomad · Nov 16th, 2006, 12:48

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bigzero

srikhand. hated it the first time, absolutely love it now.

same here.

Nick-H · Nov 16th, 2006, 13:01

shrikand was one of my early shopping mistakes: i thought I was buying a pot of curd! Ate a couple of spoonsful, but it sat in the fridge for ages.

Most people love coriander! It is used as a garnish on many dishes in UK 'Indian' restaurants.

The thing I found difficult about S. Indian food is its combination of Hot with blandness... but Sambar, and sucking the inside out of pieces of drumstick, grows on you! Recently discovered Mango Samabar --- made with green mango. Delicious!

icetea · Nov 16th, 2006, 13:34

Quote:

Originally Posted by Nick-H

Recently discovered Mango Samabar --- made with green mango. Delicious!

hmm, will have to try that one, sounds much better!

Nov 16th, 2006, 02:13	#1
icetea 'sort of hate India' club member Join Date: Aug 2004 Location: Chennai, via Romania Posts: 917	food items you couldn't stand, but now love I'm just a bit bored, so I thought I'll start this thread (can be shifted to off topic, I guess) Which Indian food/drink items or spices you absolutely hated in the beginning, but then started to love by the time you left India, or as you stayed longer? For my part, it was small things: the smell of cumin powder (~dirty socks smell), mustard seeds (burnt smell) and curry leaves. I'm still not very fond of mustard seeds, and cumin is more like "different", although I use both, but I now absolutely love the smell of fresh curry leaves. Mango is another thing which I didn't praise too much in the beginning, but it became quite addictive. It's interesting to see how our taste changes when we don't simply outrule eating something that we don't like, and keep trying to have it.

Nov 16th, 2006, 03:27	#4
machadinha Not Your Guru Member Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: yörp Posts: 11,142	Hmmm... paan? Those nibbly seeds you take a handful of when leaving the restaurant (and are still busy picking the chaff from inbetween your teeth a few hours later)? __________________ Reading tips, all picked up at IndiaMike : INDAX's A Comprehensive Guide To India / Dinoj Surendran's Desi Humor / ITHVC on Culture Shock & Travel Health / JetLag Travel Guides For the Undiscerning Traveller / India Travel Links Last edited by machadinha : Nov 16th, 2006 at 12:26.

Nov 16th, 2006, 03:37	#5
Darmabum Maha Guru Member Join Date: Aug 2003 Location: in the mountains of Idaho Posts: 812	On a camel ride outside of Khuri years ago my driver asked me for a dollar as we pulled into a one-house town . . . came back with two bottles and a BIG smile on his face. I thought the bottles were green, turned out it was what was inside of them. Also lots of pieces of what looked like wood (turned out it was) floating around in it. Sat down that evening at sunset and he broke out the 'desert wine'. God it was awful. Bet if I had it again, it would still be awful . . . but if I could be on a dune outside of Khuri right NOW, I'd think it was the best stuff I ever had. __________________ Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate; our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure - Marianne Williamson

Nov 16th, 2006, 09:13	#7
Nick-H Loud-mouthed, Noisy Bird Join Date: Oct 2004 Location: Chennai, India Posts: 27,763	Sambar... yes, me too. Staple dish here, unavoidable almost... Suppose I might get to like coriander one day --- but I don't see it happening anytime soon! __________________ . Just one member of the IndiaMike Mod Team

Nov 16th, 2006, 11:34	#10
Bigzero back to my old ways Join Date: Oct 2003 Location: Hyderabad Posts: 1,464	srikhand. hated it the first time, absolutely love it now. __________________ miles to go.... Bigzero's Photo Gallery

Nov 16th, 2006, 02:40	#2
Mio Member Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: Passau, Germany Posts: 61	Mixed pickles!

Nov 16th, 2006, 02:44	#3
mmike56 Senior Member Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Reading, Berkshire - UK Posts: 200	Leeks Hate celery still. peace 56mm

Nov 16th, 2006, 03:55	#6
federica Maha Guru Member Join Date: Jun 2004 Location: Bavaria Posts: 1,093	Sambar that comes with Masala Dosa... and Pickles...

Nov 16th, 2006, 09:33	#8
punchinello Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Sydney Posts: 138	Odd. All things I LOVE, especially coriander's clean, fresh taste. But you know what I don't eat that I'm going to try to live off? Bananas. And possibly eggs.

Nov 16th, 2006, 09:58	#9
greenchutney Account Closed Join Date: Apr 2005 Location: planet earth Posts: 1,578	icetea..you are a south indian's wife and you didnt like curry leaves before?... thats a deal breaker here.... yeah for me it was peanut butter, venpongal (strong black pepper flavored rice) along with that burnt (fire roasted) eggplant chutney...now i have learnt to like it......so was gooseberry chutney, drumstick sambhar... have to think a bit hard about others....maybe come back and post if i remember... cant live without peanut butter though........

Nov 16th, 2006, 12:18	#12
icetea 'sort of hate India' club member Join Date: Aug 2004 Location: Chennai, via Romania Posts: 917	oh Nick..I absolutely love coriander leaves..I could munch on them just like that! I add heaps of it in every curry, when I have it. Coriander was new to me, never seen it before coming here. Same with curry leaves. (mango) shrikand...my goodness..it's my favorite Indian sweet I love sour/curd-based stuff..I discovered it very late though. pickles are another item which I couldn't really touch in the beginning...more because of it being spicy, rather than the taste. I now eat more pickles (mango) than my father-in-law, in fact I have to control myself not to eat more. What I hated and still do is sambar (I guess I'm generaly not a fan of south Indian food, I find idli and dosa to be quite bland food, although I have them and occasionaly crave for a big nice dosa). I don't cook sambar either..although sometimes I pitty these people of mine..they have to do without it Anyway, they are not that much of south Indians, as they were living more to the north all their life, so it's not such a tragedy. So daal will do as a staple food for lunch, and luckily I like that. The eggplant chutney is amazing, it's one of our regular foods back in my home country (although used as a "salad", for sandwhiches and so), so I was very happy to see that they make it here also. Unfortunately lots of people hate it...while it's my all times favorite (especially with onion, some pork schnitzel and tomato salad )

Nov 16th, 2006, 13:01	#14
Nick-H Loud-mouthed, Noisy Bird Join Date: Oct 2004 Location: Chennai, India Posts: 27,763	shrikand was one of my early shopping mistakes: i thought I was buying a pot of curd! Ate a couple of spoonsful, but it sat in the fridge for ages. Most people love coriander! It is used as a garnish on many dishes in UK 'Indian' restaurants. The thing I found difficult about S. Indian food is its combination of Hot with blandness... but Sambar, and sucking the inside out of pieces of drumstick, grows on you! Recently discovered Mango Samabar --- made with green mango. Delicious!

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