food vocabulary

machadinha

Actually Skinner train food is usually pretty good, if not passable. If it's being served that is and this is the downside, it won't always be esp. not if you're counting on it (general rule for India: never count on anything. That one time you think ah the train will be too late anyway it will leave too early.) If no food is served vendors will throw all sorts of stuff at you during stops. Again, unless you're counting on it in which case no one will be around. I've gone for a day without food on lengthy train rides.

You can ask for takeaway meals or lunches at many local eateries. As noted on another recent thread, having a tiffin box (I think it's called?), that is the stacked pile of an x number of aluminium containers for different types of foods that you see traveling families carry around might do you some good if you want to get serious about carrying around food. Other than that, stack up on cookies and fruits and what have you. Usually hunger or thirst will be the least of your worries though. On lengthier bus rides meals stops will be included (... need I say it? unless you're counting on them.)

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spitze_udz

This is turning out to be a delicous thread...

The dishes mentioned till now are common throughout the india, if you can tell which parts of north India are you going to visit, we'll be able to reccomend some local delicacies....

Skinner

@spitze_udz: Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh, Nepal (if situation is stable), otherwise Darjeeling + Sikkim and maybe Himachal Pradesh

Dino

Wow,spite-udz and machadinha's posts are making me salivate.Don't forget to try a thali.Ask about for recommendations for a restaurant that does a good one.It's a great way to try different veg dishes and usually good value.I think machadinha was alluding to this with the banana leaf comment as they're served on the leaf and it's great fun to eat with your hand like the locals.With regards to breakfast I have three words,DOSA,DOSA,DOSA!

spitze_udz

I would recommend you to eat typical rajasthani thaali and if you are in jaipur, dont miss a place called Choki Dhaani and go there only after 6:00 in the evening. You will definitely remember it for giving you taste of real rajasthan.... while you are having traditional rajasthani food, you will also enjoy typical rajasthani village ambience and folk dances.... dont miss it.

Have Daal Baati Churma in rajasthan ... a traditional delicacy.

In dessert prefer to have rabri and nothing else.

Dino, more mouth watering talks

spitze_udz

Some More salivation......

While in north, have stuffed parathas(another form of indian bread) , kachori, samosa and chola bhatura for breakfast.....

Dino... Skinner wont be lucky to have food on banana leaf as it is not a practice in north . So he'll be missing this one.

readmymind

the train i was on offered a few different entrees. i had the biryani (seasoned rice). i had the hard boiled egg and the plain. they served with a small packet of pickled onions. i observed other train riders getting off at long (10 minute) station stops, purchasing food. looked like some veg soup and chapatis. less expensive and probably more flavorful than my biryani.

my fav indian foods are:

idli - soft, fluffy rice cakes. feels like a sponge

dosa - flat, very thin rice 'crepes'. the thought of the onion one i had in chennai still makes my mouth water.

garlic naan - like a thick tortilla. some have the garlic mixed in the dough. some have it diced or thinly sliced and cooked on top. delicious !

paneer - a soft cheese that can be served to you in delicate sauces. my fav is shahi paneer. i had it all over the golden triangle. every restaurant's sauce was just a little different than the others. it made for a nice 'taste test' experience

coming from a boring family kitchen i will say that there are so many delicious ways that rice is served in india, although plain is available. it's such a wonderful place to try new things and there are a LOT more veg places than in my small town

enjoy your trip and bon appetite !!

sticky

there are lots of different languages in india though, i wonder how much the words for foods and dishes vary - does anyone know?
I know that in the Indian restaurant I used to work in the word for prawn was Jhinga.

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sticky

Your making me hungry now guys..... way to go.


Thats it, I'm off to the local indian for a Thali

steven_ber

I disagree with others about food on trains, I find it disappointing.

But two things to consider, I've never travelled on the Rajdhani or Shatabdi trains where the food is said to be better, and I'm used to VERY high quality Indian/Pakistani food in London.

I've started using a stainless steel tiffin carrier for train journeys, you can fill it with food from restaurants before you travel, I find vegetarian curries, meat kebabs, pickles, chapatti’s, sweets, & some salad items keep well and are fine to eat when cold (not that anything gets cold in the hot climate).

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spitze_udz

I agree with Steven, the food on train is good only in rajdhani and shatabdi. Getting food packed is a better option.
In most of the trains you have an option of Pulaav(vegetable fried rice), if you can manage with that then no need to get food packed.
I will advice to avoid meals served on train.

gs_uppal

Just a small correction SPITZE
Black Daal is actually URAD DAAL (also called MAA DI DAAL in Punjab and Delhi).
Masoor is pink daal , mostly liked in Bengal and East India.

spitze_udz

You are confused uppal....
Dal makhani is essentially masoor(without cover being peeled off) and the pink masoor is the one from which coverig is peeled.
Urad daal can be black or yellow depending on wether the covering is peeled or not.

Dal Makhani has urad dal and rajma also but it is essentially black masoor....

gs_uppal

Dal Makhani is Urad Daal with covering intact. (yeah rajma too is added to it or chana daal, and lots of butter)
Masoor can be with or without covering (yes it is pink from inside).
Having been in India for over 30 years and that too being a Punjabi i can't be wrong on that.
I even make the same at home many times.

spitze_udz

Even i am an Indian..... and despite of being a punjabi u got your Dal Makhani wrong ;-)