I know this post is very very late for Thanksgiving, but I finally was able to upload the photos so I thought I'd post it anyway. I'm still figuring out how to take photos of food with my new camera, and have enjoyed photographing some delicious meals.
For Thanksgiving I went up to Mussoorie for one last visit with my friends at the Landour Language School before they all dispersed to their various research locations. A family from Tennessee who are here volunteering at one of the Mussoorie hospitals hosted a lovely Thanksgiving potluck. I thought I'd take advantage of the opportunity and make some applesauce.
(I didn't actually pressure cook the sauce, just used the pot)
The lovely Victoria made some delicious green beans
Here is a shot of the amaaaaazing spread! Sima, on the right, was our host.
Included in this photo: cranberry sauce, two kinds of chicken (deep fried and grilled), two kinds of green beans, spicy-sweet carrots, apple sauce, two kinds of mashed potatoes, broccoli casserole, swedish meatballs, deviled eggs, corn pone, pasta, and apple crisp!
It was really good.
There were even pies! The apple was still in the oven at this point, but here are the four different kinds of pumpkin:
Here are all the students together.
we played a fun game
It was a fun, if different, thanksgiving!
Here in India it is very important that you clean your ingredients before cooking them.
I call this one "Dog with Chilis and Chickpeas"
The two ways of sanitizing your food here in India seem to be 1) Cooking them to oblivion so that nothing harmful can survive (incidentally, this makes them mushy and practically devoid of nutrients) or 2) Soaking them in some kind of sanitizing solution.
Soaking veggies in a potassium permanganate solution seems to be a popular choice around here, and has worked well for me so far.
The first time I made the solution I accidentally got some undiluted Potassium Permanganate on my hand.
Kids: do NOT try this at home! Exposure to undiluted potassium permanganate can cause burns. I flushed my hand for fifteen minutes and luckily I was fine (the brown oxidization mark was gone by the next day).
I'll show more photos of beverages in the next food post, but for now, I'd like to introduce you all to my personal favorite, Appy Fizz!
Appy Fizz is sparkling apple juice, and it is far more delicious than any plain apple juice could hope to be.
Although I haven't travelled to South India yet, there are a few restaurants in the area that serve a decent Dosa. So far I haven't had anything that could stand up to the first Paper Dosa I ever had (in Maryland, when I was about eleven), but I am sure that our trip to the South in a few weeks will satisfy my Dosa-love. For now, these dosas are quite yummy and a lot of fun to eat!
Pictured here: dosa (fried crispy crepe) stuffed with potatoes and onions, served with a side of sambar (a mild lentil and vegetable soup.
I am pleased to report that I have found some really fantastic Tibetan food here in Dehradun! Momos (steamed dumplings) are probably the most popular Tibetan food in India- many roadside stands now serve momos along with the usual samosas and other snack foods.
Pictured here: Meat momos and chili sauce.
The Chinese food, while not necessarily "traditional" in taste, is pretty good in its own right.
My landlady, Mrs. Roybardhan, sends dinner up to me several times a week, and each time it seems to be more delicious than the last! Here are a few lovely meals she has sent up in the past few weeks:
Here is paneer (a delicious mild cheese curd), broccoli, and dahi (plain yogurt). (Note: Broccoli, usually my go-to vegetable at home, is extremely rare here -- rare to the point that I have actually dreamt of broccoli since arriving here). Cauliflower is abundant, but I just don't have the same love for it that I have for broccoli, so this was a real treat! I'm pleased to report that dairy products *are abundant here- mostly in the form of yogurt and cheese curd. You don't see so much of the hard cheeses we are used to in the states, but these two dairy products are very good, and appear everywhere.
Pictured here: Veggie wrap, sweet baked dairy-and-fruit pudding, ketchup and spicy green sauce, salad (and the Tibetan biography I am reading!).
Finally, here are two fried chickpea and vegetable pancakes with a side of mild chili sauce, channa masala (spicy chickpeas- one of my favorites), and a sweet carrot and raisin slaw.
I'll keep trying to remember to photograph my food, and create another food-centric post soon! This post is especially dedicated to Jed and Erin, two friends who have repeatedly asked for photos of great Indian food, creators of the great Charlottesvile Food Blog "Mas to Millers" (http://mastomillers.com/), and newly announced parents-to-be!
