A nice meal for a long journey.

spicetrekker

Just one point -there can be no generalisation on the longevity of veg vs non-veg food as it all depends on the item and how it is cooked....... but the consequent stomach problems of eating spoiled Non-veg food and milk products are certainly are more dangerous than that of spoiled veg food

dzibead

I think so, too. For me, the stainless steel tiffin carriers are just too bulky. I use Japanese plastic food carriers that have a water-tight seal with latches that keep the lid solidly on. They were inexpensive and I use them for carrying my lunch even when I'm at home and I just bring the same ones with me when I travel. They work very well. The plastic also seems to keep food warm a little longer than metal containers, although for a long journey I think you'd have to use an insulated container in order to make an appreciable difference. I also have an insulated lunch bag that's big enough to hold a thermos as well as the food containers but I never thought of bringing it to India. Next time I may, though, especially if I plan to do any long train journeys. Just give me some samosas, or some daal bhat and pickles, a thermos of tea, and some bottled water and I'm all set.

shashank.aggarwal

I take Puris with Mango Pickle..

They have lasted for 2 days..(after that they were eaten)..might have lasted longer...

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guerik

I believe it's more a problem of room-temperature rice than reheating - the bacteria are inhibited by either hot or cold temperatures but thrive in a room-temperature environment. I think because it's a particularly moist food?

Aha! It's how you store it. Breads are looking like a good option, I've always found roti travel well?

kalyani68

On the train journey I took with my inlaws last month, we brought from home iddlis, pickles, iddli podi (chili powder you mix with sesame oil) and curd rice. The curd rice was eaten at the end of the first day but the rest all survived 2 days without refrigeration. These things don't need to be served hot either, they taste just fine at room temperature.

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kalyani68

I forgot to mention that the curd rice has to be packed in the morning while just freshly made so that by the end of the day, the curd will have set.

Hyderabadi

I beg to differ with some of you as far as dry meat versus gravy meat. The gravy meat spoils faster. The 'bhuna' - dry-fry meat lasts longer with the spices/oil/fat infusion. I'll say that for mutton and even lean pork, chicken, unless it's small boneless pieces, I'm not sure. And as Jyoti da mentioned above, fish is a no no.

But then you have meat pickles, meat deep fried in a sea of oil and spices. No bacteria would come close to that concoction for a month or two

A couple of recipes from 'on the rail' days survive even today in our home. One simple recipe with only pooris and an almost dry onion curry:

Onions (here in the US, I prefer red onions)
Cloves
Cinnamon sticks
Cardamom
Shahi Jeera
Sesame seeds (few)

Chilli Powder
Salt
Green Chillies (optional) Turmeric

Chop the onions above roughly into small pieces, it's essential that they are not chopped perfectly.

Dry roast all the above spices and sesame seeds, very rough grind.

Heat oil, add rough ground spices (and sesame seeds) fry for a minute or less, immediately add onions and turmeric. Fry on low heat while making pooris.

Pack pooris in a plastic bag after cooling. Pack the now semi dry 'Onion Curry Platform Style' in another plastic bag. You're good to go.

(The author of this post assumes no responsibility whatsoever for the risk involved in following the detailed description, detailed above in preparing generic onion curry, a food item indegenous to the railway tracks of India as assumed by the said author, etc, etc, blah, blah....)

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kidsan

Just to help clarify the rice question, i will throw in my tuppence worth. (I do work in the catering industry however so this is a reasonably informed answer.)

The difference between rice and other foods is not that bacteria grow on rice particularly. Pathogenic bacteria i.e. those that cause sickness, will grow on any food where there is moisture present and the temperature is between 5 and 63 degrees c. They will multiply fairly rapidly the warmer it is but cooking to over 63 should kill most bacteria.(freezing only stops the reproduction but this will start again as soon as the food is brought up to 5 degrees)

The differnece with rice (and i believe pasta) is that a certain type of bacteria grows here called (i think) clostridium perfringens that has the cunning ability to form a protective spore around itself that is resistant to heat...clever huh?! This means that heating the food in a normally adequate way will not be enough and you could still get food poisoning.

This is why rice is one of the foods i am most wary of in india (im a veggy or it would be meat) and i always avoid rice that has obviously been sitting around. In the UK it is said that overnight at room temp is enough for you to get sick with rice , so in india's climate i would probabyl halve this to be on the safe side.

Ok hope this helps...kieran

federica

I got the advice to take lemon rice as "train-food". It makes sense as the ascorbine acid of lemon juice keeps food fresh.

safari vala

I avoid train food. period. I get a restaurant to make parathas for me and wrap them in tin foil.

Ali-Monbeam

Are there any train stops along the way to purchase food that can be recommended.

edwardseco

MREs, the only way to go. You can get heating cartridges to with them. With a plastic fork/spoon you are in pig heaven with a warm meal without a fire..

steven_ber

Try the following link.

regional specialty food items railway stations are famous for

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Keshava

Because we never know what kind of food will be available on the train - my wife and I take along sealable tiffin box. Before the train we stop at whatever local place has tasty food and fill the tiffins with rice and subji and get a bag full of chappatis. We used to use the Rubbermaid containers but they're really a pain in the ass to clean. It's nice having safe reliable food on the train and not being tempted to eat week-old samosas etc at railway stations. And you don't have to rely on eating fruit and cookies over the course of a two-day train ride. We also carry small thalis which are handy when visiting ashrams where you can't know how clean the kitchen is. It might sound like a neurotic thing - carrying your own thali - but actually like the tiffin carriers - it's a habit we picked up from Indians who travel a lot. You can pick these up in any bazaar in any small or large city for a few rupes.

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You mean a Nice meal for a long journey ? ? ?

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