A delicious food diary!

This is only a food diary I have been trying to keep for the last two weeks. I had a request from a reader so of course I had to follow through. I have been trying my best to remember what the heck I have been eating but remembering the names has proved quite difficult. I did my best

And this is only 1/100 of what I actually have eaten in the past 8 weeks. I know when I return to the states I am seriously going to be missing Indian food (especially dosa)

YUM!

Enjoy.

Keep in mind... EVERYTHING is hand made. No artificial additives here!

Breakfast

The staple: tea and 'biscuits' which strangely resemble bread-like cookies

Upama- Thick wheat flour mixed with ground peanuts, sweet pea corn flour, spices* 

* usually includes mustard seed, cumin, ginger, onion powder, chili and other special family touches

Upama version two- Thick wheat flour with sugar and ground peanuts

Bread

'Pancake'- strange resemblance to bran muffins

In clockwise direction:

Bread, 

Phodni chipati- small pieces of chapati with oil, garlic, tomato, coriander, onion and spices 

onion, tomato, coriander, cheese, egg omelet

Banana

Not pictured- tea

Windsor hotel in Aurangabad morning number 1. 

In clockwise direction:

sweet-lime freshly squeezed juice (strange resemblance to orange juice)

Mixed vegetable pona- flattened rice mixed with peas, coriander, and peanuts

Chai tea

Sheera- sweet thickened wheat and graham flour

Toast-jam (how it is referred to on the menu)

Masala dosa (see description below)

Mint chutney

Windsor hotel in Aurangabad morning number 2. 

In a clockwise direction:

toast-jam

chipati

medu wada (looks like a donut, but its not. It is a bread/potato/mixture. Tasty with coconut chutney!

cornflakes with warm milk

not pictured: chai tea

Mint chutney sandwiches 

chai tea

'pancakes'

Lunch and Dinner

Vada pav

Potato sandwiches, potato mixture mixed rolled on chickpea flour, flash fried and served on a roll (Dada’s favorite meal!)

Served with sautéed, salted green chilies

Uttapa- rice flour flattened out/ rice flour cake served with onions, tomatoes and garlic and sometimes cheese

(strange resemblance to pizza)

coconut chutney and sambar for dipping

Breakfasst Uttapa!
Similar to the original Uttapa, but an added egg for extra lovin! Served with mint chutney and a banana

In a clockwise direction:

Chole bhatura- thick bread with Indian gravy for dipping

Masala dosa (my favorite Indian dish so far)

It is very thin rolled rice cake with a small potato mixture inside.

Masala papad- crunchy rice cake with a spicy tomato, onion, coriander spread

Sai sangar special dosa

Like masala dosa but better!! Served with dried fruit and grated coconut on top

Home made Dosa by Manisha!

^^^ The way Manisha prepared it is the potato mixture and the rice wrap as 2 seperate entities. This picture gives you a better interpretation of the size of potato mixture within the large, delicious wrap

In a clockwise direction:

Red dal- lentils, turmeric, tomatoes, phodni and spices (turns yellow after cooking)

Chipati

Potato vegetable mix/Green chili vegetables

Steamed rice

Lunch pail ad what I bring to work everyday!

In clockwise direction:

Chipati

Indian salad/ cabbage salad with grated vegetables

Dal

Steamed rice

Samosa

Potato and vegetables mixed together with spices. Rolled in Graham flour flash fried.

Served with mint chutney and tamerine chutney and an apple

Went to china for a night!

Szechwan chicken and fried rice

Dragon rolls:

Indian inspired spring rolls and tea

Potato wada sambar

Potato dumpling served in a sambar broth 

Snacks

Pomegranate

Masala peanuts and papad

Fruit bowl
Papaya, apple, coconut pieces, banana, oranges
My favorite snack AND proffered breakfast

And.....
On my trip to Goa I had an unexpected special treat---seafood! I was advised not to enjoy seafood inland as most of it was imported in unhygenic ways.  You dont have to tell me twice = No seafood anywhere but at the beach! But Goa is the beach, so I indulged in one of my favorites, Calamari.


I was originally going to go for the butter and garlic calamari, but the other option was calamari Indian style: Calamari Masala! I have grown to love spicy food on my journey through India, but I must admit, this dish was hot, hot, hot!  So I neutralized it a bit with some steamed rice.  Perfect! Also this calamari didn't have any legs either. If you know me at all you know I don't appreciate the legs of squid on my plate or in my mouth. Good job Goa!

PS: You may have realized that the word 'masala' reappears consistently throughout this food diary. It is a general reference to a spicy dish that may be manipulated slightly with what you are cooking. It may just refer to a masala that consists of spices, vegetables, and potatoes such as the Dosa. Or it could refer to a thick very spicy dipping sauce or broth on an entire dish, as in the calamari masala and masala papad respectively.


Chipati is also a staple food in India. All of India. It is a batter of water and wheat flour (sometimes graham flour) and some spices for flavor. This is one recipe I will be bringing back home to the states! It is delcious and is so much better than regular rolls. Perhaps it will make a debut at christmas? :)
Also, an Indian superstition says that if a woman can roll a good chipati, she will be a good wife. Hmm... I can roll a FABULOUS chipati. Chew on that one for a while... (haha pun intended)


A side note: This would be considered "Maharashtrian" food since I am in the state of Maharashtra. While I was in North India the food was ENTIRELY different and I am upset with myself for not doing this earlier.


Great Idea Donna, I hope you enjoy. Thanks for reading!

I wish I could have shared more.... but for now that's all folks!

Xoxo,

India and Shelane