My first meal in India. I still remember it like it was yesterday.
Although simple, I still think this was the best meal I had in India. Maybe it was because it was my first, and it was soooo good. I enjoyed other meals that were truly delicious, but this one stays with me. I’m grateful to the owner of The Hospitality Home and Bed & Breakfast for preparing it—a free welcome meal offered as a gesture of friendship after I arrived in India that afternoon.
The meal was served on a classic metal plate with separate compartments. At the top sat a spicy, almost toxic mango pickle. I call it “toxic” because its strength could move mountains. I’d never tasted anything like it before—fiery, sour, and intensely flavorful—and I’ve been looking for it ever since I returned to Calgary. There’s also a sweet mango pickle version, much milder, but equally delicious. Having both on the plate together was a wonderful combination that elevated the entire meal.
Clockwise from there was a simple potato curry. Also hot. During my tour, many of my fellow travelers kept asking for meals with real heat, but we rarely found anything that truly delivered. Even when we told restaurant staff, “Bring us what you would eat hot,” it never happened. This potato curry, however, was exactly the kind of heat we had been searching for the rest of the trip.
Next was yogurt—different from what I was used to back home, since it was homemade rather than store-bought. A woman later gave me her recipe: boil a cup of milk, remove it from the heat, and let it cool until warm. Stir in a tablespoon of plain store-bought yogurt as a starter. Once you’ve made your own, you can use that as the starter for future batches. Cover and leave it in a warm (but not hot) spot, like the stovetop or counter, and by the next day, you’ll have fresh yogurt. It only lasts a day or two, but its taste is incomparable.
And finally, paratha—naan-like bread stuffed with vegetables, usually onion, spice, or potato (a staple in India). Greasy, but delicious.
And there it was: my very first meal in India. Simple, flavorful, and unforgettable.