I’ve been wanting to write about my experience with the food since I have gotten here and there’s been so much more on my mind other than the food. India has 28 states and in each state they have their own dialect of Hindi that is not universally spoken. The same goes with the foods of the different regions. The local foods are different and the influences of the different countries (French, British, Portugese, etc.) that have occupied parts of India have left their influences as well. When I researched Indian cooking years ago I was confused about it and now I have a better understanding as to why. Varanasi is not really considered part of northern India. I have a couple more days here before I head to my noble silence 10 day meditation retreat (Vipassana). Where I’m heading next has yet to be determined… it could be Rishikesh or Lucknow or Delhi or Patna… I’ll see after Vipassana.
I booked a room at an Air B&B at the southern end of Varanasi off the beaten path from the town. I did not want to stay in the craziness of the city right here. When I was looking at places to stay I ask the host if they were willing to cook with me and show me cultural cuisine in the area. What happened was a complete blessing. The family I am staying with has been so gracious and generous to me. The woman running the place is named Reeta. She has been taking exquisite care of me while I’m here. She has been cooking nearly every meal and some with me. Washing my clothes and cleaning. I’ve never experienced such care in my life. It makes me weepy just writing this because of how much I feel cared for here. I will be sad to leave.
I am getting home cooked food nearly every day. I wish I could remember all the names of the dishes that I’ve tried so far. Most everything has turmeric in it. Not all have the common Indian spices (cardamom, cinnamon, cumin, coriander, chili, mustard seed, fenugreek, etc.), some are plain and simple with just turmeric. Most everything has onions, ginger and garlic. Roti/Chapati
Reeta has been so generous with me and it seems like treating guests this well is part of the culture here. I asked to be taken to the market so I could get food for the household. I was taken to the butcher, the produce and the dry goods places. These places/stores are where the family have been doing business with for generations. The way of family and relationships here is part of the culture. Back home in the USA there isn’t so much emphasis on the relationships of doing business. And I see that changing in the years I’ve been in Maine. See my previous writing about this here.
At the butcher, there was a goat meat on the table covered with a cloth with flies all over it and it was slaughtered a couple hours before and the owner didn’t think that was fresh enough for them, so they slaughtered another goat right away. There is no refrigeration or any means of sanitation, etc. I knew the meat was extremely fresh and would be cooked thoroughly so I felt ok about it. People in America would be mortified seeing the slaughtering of the animals let alone the conditions I was part of. This is naturally part of how things work around here.
I also wanted to get spices, rice and ingredients for dal at another market. People drink Chai here every day. I like my Chai flavorful and wanted to make sure the spices were here for that. There is also a basmati rice that are just pieces of the rice grain and not the full rice grain. It is less expensive, and people use that as well. I don’t think I’ve seen that in the USA before.
The fruits and vegetables are absolutely fabulous. Everything is very fresh. The family that owned the produce shop also they have been buying from for generations. The fresh fruits and vegetables are all the same at all of the markets here… pomegranates, pineapple, apples, eggplant, bitter gourd, beets, and others. I bought all the things that I wanted to and then some. We came home with a lot of food and Reeta was a bit upset with me for paying for things. I said that’s how I like to give back.
I have so much to write about… like being invited to go to a friend of the families for dinner to make litti and choka. And someone coming to the house to make peetha. Making Roti/Chapati is done multiple times a day and the recipe for the dough is really easy to make. Reetsa’s husband Gappu likes to cook the meat curries and I’ve ad goat curry and chicken curry. There is lots of hand work in making these items, not my cup of tea to do and people here are really patient and good at it. I showed Reeta how I make my basmati rice pilaf… rinsing and soaking and using less water than they do, and she seems to like it a little better because the rice isn’t so mushy soft. I gave a cooking lesson to Reeta’s son Raunaq on how to make tomato sauce for pasta and still have to show him béchamel and Reeta’s son wants to learn how to make pizza dough. I’m just not sure about the wheat flour here… I think it’s whole wheat and not the same kind of flour we are used to in the usa.
It takes two hands to clap. One hand washes the other.
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