Canadian-Kiwi on a Curry Trail this Diwali
Ever since I was a little girl I’ve been intrigued by exotic cuisines so when I was invited to celebrate Diwali last year over a feast with some Indian friends, I jumped with joy at the prospect of trying new flavors. What struck me the most about curries was how gloriously overpowering they are! Every spoonful gives a sensation like a mini explosion in your mouth as it gets acquainted with all the different spices and subtle flavors; every bite surprises your palate with full-bodied flavors and awakens your appetite, after which – like a spoiled child – it cries for more. And, whether it is vegetables, meat, or rice; red, green, brown or yellow;cinnamon, cardamom, or turmeric,an added bonus is that it is incredibly healthy!
Needless to say, Indian food never bores!
This month, after remembering that Diwali was again fast approaching, I decided to indulge my appetite earlyby rediscovering some of my favorite Indian tastes. I started the first day of my journey at TajMahal.
There was a soft-spoken man donning a black turban who served me Mango Chicken. My curiosity got the better of me, and upon noticing the various frames on the wall exhibiting Hindu deities, I stopped eating to pester my dinner companion (Indian of course), asking him whether it was Vishnu I had been staring at and, if so,why on earth he was a vibrantblue. Being all in earshot of the friendly waiter, my dinner companion began to wonder whether I had forgotten the meaning of cultural sensitivity, and urged me to hold onto my questions until the coming of our departure(which, needless to say, he may have been looking forward to). In any case, the waiter gave away no signs of annoyance, keeping the same air of dignity all throughout, and I had my Mango Chicken, which turned out to be very nice. I finished off with an Indian-style pistachio Kulfi. Light and creamy with just a hint of pistachio aftertaste, this was delicious and now one of my all-time favorite ice-creams!
Day Two: I felt like a pampered Maharani at Little India, especially after havingTandoori Chicken, which is got to be one of my favorite things in the world. Tender chicken, oven-smoked with a distinctive orangey hue, and chargrilled smoky taste: a hungrycarnivore’s Heaven served on a plate and I simply salivate at the thought of one tasty bite. It really is one of those ‘must tries’!
But it was at Indian Summer where I was in for a culture shock. It turned out that I had overestimated myself and ordered a curry a couple of notches too high in the spicy department. As I learned the hard way, a common mistake of non-Indians is failing to deduce the significance of five chilies next to a curry on the menu in an Indian restaurant. Luckily I was a bit more cautious than five chilies would suggest, but let this be a warning to all my fellow Kiwis: when it comes to red hot spice, Indians surely mean business!
I decided to end my nostalgic journey at the Indian Food Mart – a strange choice one might say – but I have my own little surprising quirks. Sometimes I actually conjure up a shopping list as an excuse just to get a chance to smell the hundreds of different spices lining the shelves and to see all the vibrant colors. Oh, it puts me in such a lively mood, I feel like singing Celine Dion’s ‘I’m Alive’ every time I do it! Plus, especially when I’m greeted by another man in a black turban, I actually feel like I’m overseas, on some exotic holiday in India or something of that sort!
Anyway, for a white girl in such a place, it is easy to get excited! Happy Diwali everyone! Let your life be full of lights!
- Serena Antonia Starrs is a Foreign Affairs scholar, food critic and blogger. Her current foreign affair is with Indian food, as she explores the best of Diwali.
Ever since I was a little girl I’ve been intrigued by exotic cuisines so when I was invited to celebrate Diwali last year over a feast with some Indian friends, I jumped with joy at the prospect of trying new flavors. What struck me the most about curries was how gloriously overpowering they are!...
Ever since I was a little girl I’ve been intrigued by exotic cuisines so when I was invited to celebrate Diwali last year over a feast with some Indian friends, I jumped with joy at the prospect of trying new flavors. What struck me the most about curries was how gloriously overpowering they are! Every spoonful gives a sensation like a mini explosion in your mouth as it gets acquainted with all the different spices and subtle flavors; every bite surprises your palate with full-bodied flavors and awakens your appetite, after which – like a spoiled child – it cries for more. And, whether it is vegetables, meat, or rice; red, green, brown or yellow;cinnamon, cardamom, or turmeric,an added bonus is that it is incredibly healthy!
Needless to say, Indian food never bores!
This month, after remembering that Diwali was again fast approaching, I decided to indulge my appetite earlyby rediscovering some of my favorite Indian tastes. I started the first day of my journey at TajMahal.
There was a soft-spoken man donning a black turban who served me Mango Chicken. My curiosity got the better of me, and upon noticing the various frames on the wall exhibiting Hindu deities, I stopped eating to pester my dinner companion (Indian of course), asking him whether it was Vishnu I had been staring at and, if so,why on earth he was a vibrantblue. Being all in earshot of the friendly waiter, my dinner companion began to wonder whether I had forgotten the meaning of cultural sensitivity, and urged me to hold onto my questions until the coming of our departure(which, needless to say, he may have been looking forward to). In any case, the waiter gave away no signs of annoyance, keeping the same air of dignity all throughout, and I had my Mango Chicken, which turned out to be very nice. I finished off with an Indian-style pistachio Kulfi. Light and creamy with just a hint of pistachio aftertaste, this was delicious and now one of my all-time favorite ice-creams!
Day Two: I felt like a pampered Maharani at Little India, especially after havingTandoori Chicken, which is got to be one of my favorite things in the world. Tender chicken, oven-smoked with a distinctive orangey hue, and chargrilled smoky taste: a hungrycarnivore’s Heaven served on a plate and I simply salivate at the thought of one tasty bite. It really is one of those ‘must tries’!
But it was at Indian Summer where I was in for a culture shock. It turned out that I had overestimated myself and ordered a curry a couple of notches too high in the spicy department. As I learned the hard way, a common mistake of non-Indians is failing to deduce the significance of five chilies next to a curry on the menu in an Indian restaurant. Luckily I was a bit more cautious than five chilies would suggest, but let this be a warning to all my fellow Kiwis: when it comes to red hot spice, Indians surely mean business!
I decided to end my nostalgic journey at the Indian Food Mart – a strange choice one might say – but I have my own little surprising quirks. Sometimes I actually conjure up a shopping list as an excuse just to get a chance to smell the hundreds of different spices lining the shelves and to see all the vibrant colors. Oh, it puts me in such a lively mood, I feel like singing Celine Dion’s ‘I’m Alive’ every time I do it! Plus, especially when I’m greeted by another man in a black turban, I actually feel like I’m overseas, on some exotic holiday in India or something of that sort!
Anyway, for a white girl in such a place, it is easy to get excited! Happy Diwali everyone! Let your life be full of lights!
- Serena Antonia Starrs is a Foreign Affairs scholar, food critic and blogger. Her current foreign affair is with Indian food, as she explores the best of Diwali.
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