Saturday, April 15, 2006

A Trip to India

I thought about Virginia Gal as I made a quick trip to India today. Virginia Gal would be the most qualified person I know to tell you that a quick trip to India from the US could only be possible in the sense of virtual travel, or as a flight of fancy. I took the latter, inspired by, what else, FOOD! At the grocery store late last night, I picked up a couple of Tasty Bite dishes. I couldn't wait to try them, so I tucked into the Jaipur Vegetables for lunch today.

Mr. Merci joined me in the taste test. This dish gets 2 thumbs up in the Beaucoup household. Jaipur Vegetables is a wonderful vegetarian concoction with the consistency of a stew. It's just spicy enough to tingle your tongue without the need call the firehall. It would be great over rice, which I must avoid, so it was consumed a la carte. As with all spicy dishes, a bit of vanilla ice cream as an afterthought would have been quite nice. Sadly, ice cream is on my forbidden list, as well. No matter, Jaipur vegetables is truly delicious.

I can't vouch for it's authenticity, and I certainly cannot compare it to other Indian dishes, since my experience of the cuisine is limited (something I plan to rectify soon), but it stood on its own as quite a Tasty Bite.

7 comments:

missmagnoliathunderpussy said...

Precious, Our darling Pax should go to India, he'd be worshiped as a Goddess, after all dear, I'm told cows are sacred!

Merci said...

Miss Magnolia,
Pauvre Paxi. What would we do with him to abuse? I'll have to treat him to an supper of Tasty Bite meals to make it up to him!

missmagnoliathunderpussy said...

Now darling, you know I love Pax, more than my luggage but someone has to keep him in his place. We could make amends by giving him a "Bad Girl Make-Over" but I think that would be redundent.

Merci said...

Hmmm, it might be redundant, but it could be fun, too...

Virginia Gal said...

hee hee, you're right Merci a short trip to India can only be made virtually. I did that myself this weekend by calling family on Saturday. I'm missing everyone dearly.

The food sounds yummy - I have to say off all thing Indian instant things I've gotten, I'd say Trader Joe's has the most authentic.

Of course in Jersey you have more than your fair share of Indian food options (I'm so jealous!).

Merci said...

Virginia Gal-
Sadly, the selection is much more limited in the part of NJ where I live, and the nearest Trader Joe's is more than an hour away. Still, it's near my Mom, so a trip over this vacation might be in order...

Pax Romano said...

Merci,

Mags is just jealous because when she went to India she kept hearing the locals call her, "achuta". The silly old mare thought it was a term of endearment, that is until they tried to stone her ... I understand that she took refuge in the Taj Mahal but was upset that she could not find a bar when she got there! They threw her out when she started offering favors to the guards for a gin and tonic...

It was all very ugly, I had to book passage for her on a tramp steamer (she felt right at home)... I believe it was during that ocean journey she was dubbed, "Sadie Thompson II"