Agra in Pictures: Part I

As you can see from Matt's post below...last weekend we visited the Taj Mahal.  I could go on and on about how magnificent everything was but a picture is worth a thousand words :-)

It rained when we visited the first day we arrived...and of course there was Bollywood style dancing (see the Indian child in the foreground)!

The three pictures above show the Taj as the sun comes up.  We were there at 5:30AM to see the sunrise...absolutely worth it!  Notice how there are NO people in the frame :-) 

The final resting place of Shah Jahan and Mumtaz Mahal.  We were the first ones there after the monument opened and got to hear the famous mystic vibration - an eerie hum created by cool air expanding in the dome of the tomb in the early morning!  Creepy and spiritual at the same time...

This last picture shows the view from our hotel window...ridiculous. :-)

Whoa! Taj Mahal

We went to the Taj Mahal this afternoon. Our trip to Agra accompanied the arrival of the seasonal rains. We had about 20 minutes of walking around the Paradise Gardens and time enough to go inside the mausoleum and then the torrential rains started. Despite the rain we still have some amazing pictures and memories from our visit. When we go back in the morning we will be sure to remember the umbrella this time! Next up is some hot lunch and then suit back up and then hit the Agra Fort.

Idli Obsession: Part II

Alright...so last Sunday I decided to try my hand at making south indian breakfast.  The key element to a south indian breakfast is the Idli.  These are fluffy little cakes made from a fermented rice and lentil batter.  The batter must be left in a warm place for at least 8 hours to ferment.  Once the batter has fermented it is steamed in an Idli mould (see below).  Sounds a bit disgusting I know but they are SO delicious. Check out this great recipe and try for yourself at home...you can generally find Idli moulds at your local indian grocery or, of course, online :-)

Wada is another common south indian breakfast dish.  Wada, below, are fried snacks made from a batter of lentils that are soaked then mixed with various spices in a food processor.  They are usually shaped like little doughnuts...but my batter was a bit soupy so they just ended up as fried globs...

No south indian breakfast, or meal for that matter, would be complete without Sambar (see below). This is essentially a very watery, very fiery lentil and vegetable soup.  Idli and wada are dipped and/or doused in this lovely condiment!

Rasam and Chutney, below, are two more common condiments that are eaten with wada, idli, and dosa (I did NOT attempt dosa...)  Rasam is a spicy sauce best made with buttermilk while chutney is more of a sweet condiment generally made with fresh coconut...yes I had to find, open, and grate fresh coconut for this.  Coconut kholo bhajiwalla!!...my local vegetable man helped me select and open a nice coconut! 

The results?!  Well my food didn't taste anywhere near as good as Cafe Madras :-(  But, I suppose they do have about 70 years more experience than me!  I am not going to give up though...I have convinced a south indian friend to give me a cooking lesson!  I am going to find out all the tips and tricks and will keep everyone posted on my progress...

Over the river and thru Lower Parel

It has been raining almost non stop since Thursday. We saw evidence of this when returning from our night at The Comedy Store in Phoenix Mills. The Majunatha Motors sahib called our driver Vicky and told him to stay off the roads because of flooding. But we were in Lower Parel and had to get back to Powai! In a diesel Ford Ikon hydrolock is a concern. We now have empirical evidence that a Ford Ikon can successfully charge through wheel well level flood waters.

Idli Obsession: Part I

This weekend I decided to explore the unknown... I made South Indian breakfast.  Not that south Indian food is unknown to Matt and me, I have just never actually cooked any Idli, Dosa, Vada, Chutney or Sambar myself.  My obsession with south Indian food began when I first visited Cafe Madras about two years ago.  This Mumbai institution has been around for over 70 years, serving Mumbaikers arguably the best, and cheapest, south Indian food in the city.  When I took my first bite of soft, fluffy Idli drowned in spicy Sambar and Chutney...I was hooked.  I even convinced the owner to give me a tour of the kitchen!  I was so impressed and intrigued by the new culinary frontier I had discovered.  Now that we live in Mumbai, Matt and I make the 45 minute trek to Matunga every Saturday to gorge on all that Cafe Madras has to offer.  The owner's sons know us by name and are always suggesting we try new, more delicious, preparations of our old favorites.  Being the curious cook that I am (and because I cannot drive all the way to Matunga every morning), I decided I would try to make Idli, Wada, Chutney, and Sambar....myself, from scratch :-)  Though there are various ready made south Indian breakfast mixes you can buy at the grocery store, none that I had tried came anywhere close to Madras....  I decided I would have to do it all the old fashioned way, no cutting corners! But, what is the authentic way to make these dishes?  And what the hell is an Idli anyway?!...my American readers may ask :-)  Rest assured all your questions will be answered in my next post (+ pictures)...bye for now!  

Mango Madness

Summer means one thing in India…well really two things.  One, it is hot, the kind of hot that makes you sweat the instant you step outside.  Secondly, summer means MANGOES.  Indians are CRAZY for mangoes, and now I too understand the obsession with these colorful, sweet fruits.  It starts in March, the speculation…when will the season begin?  Which neighborhood will receive the first mangoes of the summer?  Which type of mango (yes there are many) will yield the sweetest results this year?  These initial discussions are followed by rumors of mango sightings in various neighborhoods around the city.  These elusive fruits are rumored to be the juiciest and tastiest ever grown in India.  Mouths water, tongues wag and everyone, everywhere anxiously awaits the Mango harvest.  Then it happens!  Mangoes are on every corner, in every shape, size, and ranging from syrupy sweet to tart to bitter.   Suddenly every neighborhood vegetable stand is bursting with huge, ripe, yellow MANGOES! Having never tasted a mango and being a person mildly obsessed with all things epicurious, I was obviously quite excited for the season to begin.  I badgered my vegetable man for weeks, “WHEN will the mangoes be coming?”  Then it happened…my first Mango.  If you have never had one go to the store NOW (they should be available at most fancy fruit markets, and even less fancy ones) and buy one.  Don’t chop it up obsessively or put it in a smoothie.  Eat it like an Indian.  Get messy and eat it skin and all, just like the kids in front of my building, most of whom are perpetually sticky these days.   Just watch out for the pit!

Holi Cow

Last weekend we were fortunate enough to celebrate the Hindu festival of Holi.  This festival celebrates the coming of spring as well as the triumph of Lord Vishnu over the evil demon Hiranyakashipu.  Today the festival is celebrated throughout India as revelers smear colors all over friends and family alike.  Not even the neighborhood dogs and cats were safe from the onslaught and even the odd cow was seen with pink smeared forehead :-)  We had a wonderful time celebrating with our friends and even have the pictures to prove it!  Happy Holi everyone!

Indian Wedding

Last Saturday we were invited to our first Indian wedding!  I was able to wear one of my favorite pieces of clothing...the Sari!  I think a Sari is probably the most beautiful piece of clothing in the world, but, they are QUITE difficult to tie / wear if you are not used to it.  I had my neighbor help me tie mine after quite a few unsuccessful tries at home!  There are some things a youtube tutorial just can't fully explain :-)  The wedding reception itself was quite interesting.  The bride and groom sit on stage (see below) while friends and relatives parade onstage and offer the lovely couple envelopes of cash.  The bride and groom also take pictures with every attendee (ala High School Prom).  Then everybody eats...ALOT.  Check out the pics below...

Rava Idli

This is a commercial for ready made Idli mix.  Idli are delicious little rice flour pancakes that are a popular breakfast food in the south of India.  I have my colleague to thank for this little gem...a must watch :-)

Kala Ghoda Festival

Saturday we decided to head down to the famous Kala Ghoda art festival.  This three week festival includes visual art, crafts, and street performances.  The name Kala Ghoda means black horse, a reference to the black stone statue of King Edward VII that once dominated the central square of the neighborhood.  After Indian independence the statue was relocated to a nearby zoo but the neighborhood still retains the name Kala Ghoda.  The festival was more than a little crowded but we still managed to have a good time :-) See pics below.

B.E.S.T Day Ever

Recently we also took a trip downtown using the Mumbai B.E.S.T. buses!  Another beautiful example of Mumbai's amazingly efficient suburban transit system.  The red double decker buses are always absolutely packed with people hanging out of windows and doors.  We managed to catch a bus that was not too crowded though some of us didn't manage to get seats! :-) Check out some pics below.

Bhaji Street

When we were out and about Saturday we passed through a local market called, surprisingly enough, Vegetable Street :-) Old ladies selling every manner of fruit and veg eyed us warily while animated bhajiwallas shouted to us as we made our way down this amazing little street. Got some great pics!