Help for meat eaters

NeeliAankhen

I'm going to India for the first time and thinking about what I am going to eat, and how look after my health and eat as wide a range of food as possible, without spending money unnecessarily either.

Here's my question: I take seriously the frequent advice to go vegetarian, and I'll try to do that - but I also am someone who really feels better on a high-animal-protein diet. I'm ready to reduce the amount of meat I eat, but I'd like any specific suggestions of places you think I can eat it safely in the places I'm going to.

So - any suggestions of places a careful newcomer to India could find meat dishes that are 1. nothing to worry about, health-wise and 2. not so expensive? (I know fancy hotel restaurants will be okay, looking for other ideas!)

These places:

Udaipur
Jaipur
Varanasi
Delhi
Bombay

jyotirmoy

Stay away from Pork.
Go to eateries where you find lot of locals eating. The food here will be freshly cooked.
In Delhi it is quite safe to eat meat at mid level eateries. Go to Karim's near Jama Masjid for the best Mughlai meat preparations. If you want to splurge a bit go to Chore Bazzar near Delhi gate for very good Kashmiri meat dishes. All restaurants in CP will have decent and safe meat dishes.

dhans

Neeli,

As an avid steakfreak I'm inclined to say you have nothing to worry about. Indian vegetarian food is also high in protein, if you eat the occasional dhal (which is unavoible btw). I like tandoori, but have survived weeks on veggies without problem.

And almost anywhere except pushkar you could eat eggs for breakfast .

Hans

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anarkali

I had absolutely no trouble going vego in India. The vegetarian dishes are just delicious. That said, we let our hair down a bit in Mumbai. There we enjoyed some incredible meat kebabs at Bade miyah behind the Taj Mahal hotel and melt-in-the-mouth lamb curry and roti across the road at a very very busy restaurant with lots of booths and the menu written on a skanky, curry stained piece of cardboard (can't recall the name). We went back to both places several times once we discovered them.

Leopold's in Colaba is another standard recommendation for those hankering for Western-style food, but after the above, I found all of the food at Leopold's overpriced and an immense disappointment.

Aishah

Ask the people where you are staying to recommend you a good non-vegetarian restaurant. Jyoti has covered Delhi for you - other places all have excellent restaurants that are non-veg. but names escape me. You really have nothing to worry about. If you go to a good place with frequent turn-over, you can be assured the meat and cooking is fresh and safe. Udaipur - Jagat Niwas Palace Hotel has a good restaurant and I think it may be non-veg. as well. Jaipur - Handi Restaurant has brilliant tandoori and kebabs - everyone knows it too, it is not far from Tourist Bungalow place run by RTDC, Copper Chimney is nearby but nowhere as good as Handi - there are 2 restaurants with this name run by same people and they are side by side (I think it's MG Rd) One is pure veg. other non-veg.

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Nick-H

I was, for a long time, under the impression that not eating meat is a lot safer, and that one is unlikely to get sick from veggie dishes. I've been corrected on this by several people who know more about food risks than I do. For the technical details, you would have to ask someone who knows this stuff; I don't.

I do know that ice-cream is one of the most dangerous things you can eat in India!

Each of us has our own dietary requirements; I'd love to be a veggie, but my body doesn't share that wish, and I have to feed it not only meat but red meat to remain healthy. I've experimented with this a few times in thirty years, and the outcome is always the same.

For a week or two, though, I'd have no problem.

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NeeliAankhen

Every piece of advice here is very welcome and valuable. And - biologically I am like you, for sure. Same experiments, same outcome -- okay short-term, not good longer-term. I've certainly survived some short ashram stays with two daily very nice all-veg meals, but I've also so many times been amazed at the difference a nice animal protein meal makes to my energy level and mood.

And - I am aware that a long plane trip (at least 16 hours from the US, more with delays) is hard on the body, so it's important to me to look after it.

wonderwomanusa

Be sure to eat meat in very busy places, so that the food is always fresh! Or if chicken will satisfy the craving, eat Chinese food!

I try to avoid Western-style places -- those are the ones that often make me sick.

ChocolatNY

NeeliAankhen, i too love my meat, and so far i've never gotten sick from eating meat dishes in india. i've had kebabs from the street in a lot of places.. but one thing i always do is have my plate/fork handy because though the food they serve is piping hot and usually free from contamination, the utensils may not be so clean (ugh, i don't want to elaborate further!)

as Nick said ice in india is very dangerous.. if you're going to have ice cream, snow cones, etc. make sure you only eat at reputable places. oh, and do try the delicious ice cream at Naturals! i've had it almost every single day in India!

Meat dishes in Delhi, Hyderabad, Lucknow, Mumbai are a treat because of the Muslim influence.. the nihari i had in lucknow is the best i've ever had! in Mumbai seafood (konkani/manglorean cuisine) is excellent... my tastebuds were in heaven!

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NeeliAankhen

Thanks - so do do you carry some kind of plate and utensils around with you?

I don't mind adopting such a practice if it gets me nice food - and I love Muslim-style cooking too, from all countries.

ChocolatNY

actually not a plate, i carry one of those plastic plate/bowl type containers that come with a lid, know what i mean? you can buy them in any general store in india, or bring ur own from nyc. and i request them to put my food in that. this way even if i don't finish it, i can keep it for later. in india, if u ask for somet to be packed, they put it in plastic bags, i absolutely hate that.

also, since you're in new york.. go to Duane Reade, they have a travel aisle.. and get the travel Bounty roll, it's SO convenient. You can also get individually wrapped packets of anti-bacterial handwipes (i-care brand).. they come in very handy (pun intended!) after you're done eating curry/oily foods.

Aishah

Nice tips ChocolatNY! I can't stand the plastic bag packing either! But you don't need plates and utensils in a restaurant - if they are dry, then there are no bugs is what I believe! You can always give a surreptitious wipe with a napkin if you have a doubt.
Icecream... I love it, bad for waistline but still I indulge and have never been sick except one time when there were big chunks of ice in a chocolate one from a restaurant - this meant it had thawed out and been re-frozen. Sick 4 hours later in a minor way and the next morning I was fine. I think I have an immune, cast-iron stomach however. Touch wood, I very rarely get ill from food here. There are some great icecream places here in the market and all perfectly reliable.

vdvoort

Getting sick from eating in Indian restaurants doesn't depend so much on eating veg or non-veg, nor on the ingredients being fresh(ly cooked). Equally, and maybe more, important is hygiene. The ingredients may be as fresh as you can get, but when they don't handle them hygienically..... If you're really worried, never take a peek at a restaurants' kitchen.
BTW: I only got sick once (a severe case of Montezuma's revenge), must have a cast-iron stomach like Aishah. And when I did, it was after dinner in a busy, upscale restaurant in Jaipur, eating veg.

Enjoy!

anar

eat fried fish amritsar-style in koliwada in mumbai - yummm.

stick to chicken in general.

ChocolatNY

hey Aishah, i don't use my own utensils at proper restaurants, rather i keep them handy for street food, where the hygiene factor is lacking, eg: the ragda patties stand where the patties are sizzling hot off the tava but the plate and spoon are icky!