My recent trip to India is really unforgettable not just because of the scenic views and tourist spots that I visited, but what really stood out and I miss the most now is... the FOOD! I immediately fell in love with the exquisite taste of their cuisine and I think this breaks the monotony of letting sophisticated and discriminating palates know which food is totally unique and what is not.
I was thunderstruck at the whopping misnomer about Indian cuisine: that all stew that is served is curry. Hell no! Indian food is one of the most appealing, yet the most diverse in the whole world but because of its fabulous use of assorted herbs and spices, Indian cuisine is definitely the spiciest, richest, and most flavorful food that I have ever tasted. I'm really craving for more!
Below is my list of the Top 10 best Indian foods that I tasted in my week-long stay in Vadodara, Gujarat, India.
BREAKFAST -------------------------------------------------------
1. Khaman, Onion Pakoda, with Potato Wedges and Sauteed Vegetables
My week-long stay in India was spent mostly in the hotel at the Effotel by Sayaji located at Kala Ghoda Circle Sayajigunj and most of the meals I had are from Kala Ghoda Restaurant on the 7th floor whose foods are all extremely delectable. Part of the amenities is a buffet type of breakfast with a variety of lip-smacking starters, freshly cooked veggies, impressive non-vegetarian viands, and mouth-watering desserts of your choice. There was nothing I ate that I didn't like and every morning as soon as I wake up, I have always looked forward to what's being served for the day!
On my first day, the buffet table was full of everything alien to me. Thanks to the very accommodating food server, who tried to speak English the best he could to offer what they have for breakfast and describe what's in it. The first one he served on my plate is the fluffy, yellow Khaman, which he said is a famous breakfast in Gujarat made of channa dal (he explained how the lentils, kidney beans, peas, etc. become dal but I couldn't remember it so I can't explain it here). He also offered the crispy, air-fried Onion Pakoda, an Indian version of fritters which is made of besan, or gram flour. He said it is best when paired with either chai or coffee. I didn't know what chai is, so I chose coffee. I just realized later that it actually means flavored tea, like tcha in Chinese, or tsaa in Filipino which I drink back home in the Philippines.
I saw some familiar food in the serving trays like Potato Wedges and Sauteed Vegetables so I took some too, and he recommended it should also come with Vada, the doughnut-shaped, deep-fried fritters made from chillis, lentils, curry leaves, onions, and other spices that make up the batter, which is cooked crispy and fluffy. When I reached my table, I found a cup of coffee, a glass of chai, a fried egg, and a plate full of fruits for dessert, which I thought belonged to someone else, and took my table. When I was about the move to the other table, the kind food server told me that the food is mine and he served it for me. He even offered to take a picture of me even though he doesn't know how to operate a DSLR. If you don't call that service-de-luxe, then I don't know what it is.
2. Poha, Gulab Jamun, Paratha with Dal Vada, Parsley Potato and Sweet Corn
The following morning, I was the very first guest at the Kala Ghoda Restaurant excitedly looking forward to seeing what's on the buffet menu table for the day. The same food server welcomed me and gave me a plate right away, offering me different kinds of rice. I chose Poha because it looked new and different. And really different, indeed! The rice is flattened and almost flaky, as it is soaked, steamed, and dried, before they are added to boiling water and cook until they start to soften, but are being removed before they are fully cooked. If I understand his explanation clearly, it seems to me that the rice is partially cooked.
Right next to Poha is the strange-looking Gulab Jamun, which I thought to be viand so I took a lot, and found out in Google later that they are actually milk-solid-based sweets, best eaten as a dessert. I also picked pieces of Paratha, which are layered flatbread made with flour, salt, ghee & water. I liked it a lot because it's buttery, flaky, and crispy, and I was told to pair it up with chana masala, but I wasn't able to get one because I don't know where on the buffet table it can be found. I loved the stimulating crispiness of the delectable deep-fried Dal Vadas, a coarse paste of soaked chana dal embellished with onions, ginger paste, and a bunch of usual additives that intensify the traditional flavor of the food. To complete the meal set on my plate, I added a few scoops of Parsley Potato and Sweet Corn, both have distinct tastes yet oozing with exotic flavors that make it truly mouthwatering. Uniquely Indian. On a separate plate, I picked freshly cut fruits for dessert and a glass of watermelon juice. This is what I call a heaven-made breakfast I wanted to have over and over again.
3. Sheera with Poha, Khaman, Vada, Mixed Vegetable Pakoda, and Sauteed Vegetable
My third day was just a mixture of the foods served for the first two days except for two that I might have missed because I was just too overwhelmed. Just right beside the Poha is a golden-colored pudding-like delicacy that is so inviting. I suddenly remember the previous day that Gulab Jamun was also sitting next to Poha, yet it's a dessert. So I had to ask the chef so I won't go wrong again. And I was right with my hunch, it's actually called Sheera, a semolina pudding mixed with sugar and ghee, which really tastes so divine but slightly tangy. He said it's best to pair it up with ice cream but I declined because I preferred to have another plate of fresh fruits just like the other day.
I was also offered Mixed Vegetable Pakoda, a little different from what I had the other day, which is a variation of the more popular and conventional Onion Pakoda. Instead of onions, this delicious Indian crisp is made of the same great aroma of besan and spices, mixed with vegetables and leafy greens like palak or methi, potatoes, cauliflower, cabbage, capsicum or brinjal. It tastes like crispy fried chicken strips and it's really heavenly! Although Onion Pakoda is the original version, I surely love this knock-off better.
LUNCH -------------------------------------------------------
4. Gujarati Thali
My lunches are all outside the hotel and it was my utmost dream to try how typical Indians eat and enjoy their meals in their everyday lives. I've seen a lot of video coverage from travel channels in the past and I've since been amazed how ceremonious the food preparations are yet the people seem to eat their food with so much veneration and gratification. And I want to experience that today.
I was introduced to the staple food of Vadodara, the overwhelming meal with a variety of food in a single-serving dish called Gujarati Thali. Thali, which means plate, is stuffed with various kinds of distinct Indian dishes mostly found and served in Gujarat, or in places where there are Gujarati diasporas, thus the name Gujarati Thali. The purpose of serving food variety in a thali is to experience the entirety of all the food senses, from sweet, pungent, savory, to sour, salty, bitter, spicy, and uniquely Indian --- all in one serving plate. Collectively, it's a complete meal consisting of almost everything Gujarat has to offer. Traditionally, this assortment of dishes is served in an Indian platter (or on a banana leaf) but what I was about to eat today is served in a more commercially-apt food container that can be delivered and enjoyed even in the offices.
Everything's in it - appetizers, steamed rice, shaak, curry, chutneys, salads, dessert, and chapati. The food is traditionally prepared by hands as it is customary in India, based on the cultural premise that our bodies are in sync with the elements of nature, and our hands hold a certain power. Being a foreigner and a first-time visitor of the country, my food was served with cutlery but I opted to eat the way Indians eat so I enjoyed my meal with my bare hands. It is believed that you transfer the energy from the food, consisting of the five elements of space, air, fire, water, and earth; through your fingers and thumb onto your mouth, which enters the body. Eating is considered to be a sensual activity.
It looks so overwhelming that I didn't know how to start. I wonder if there is even an order of progression on how the food should be eaten. I didn't want to eat it in an unorthodox way as it defeats the purpose of experiencing traditional food in a certain region that I have never been to before. I opted to observe how my host eats his meal so I can follow suit. I noticed that the shaak was eaten first, mixing a few to the steamed rice then shreds strips of chapati and is being dipped with the vegetables with curry. He then picks a few of shambar and eats them as an accompaniment to a handful of rice and followed it up with rasam. Finally, we picked some of the curds and mixed them with rice, and was eaten last. It was a heavenly experience!
When we were finally washing our hands, it was revealed to me that I didn't have to follow the order. I can eat it the way I want it. And I realized how funny I looked almost mirroring all the actions my host did while we eat our meal.
DINNER -------------------------------------------------------
5. Murgh Makhani
Before I arrived in Vadodara, I initially planned to have dinner at some fancy restaurants near the hotel and with the help of my travel buddy Google Maps, I plotted three fine dining restos in my itinerary. There's Havmor Restaurant, a Punjabi restaurant that is just a few steps from the hotel that offers all-you-can-eat dining, organic dishes, and vegetarian options. With a few more steps further is Patiala House Restaurant, which looks like a kid-friendly restaurant that serves freshly cooked, very tasty, and well-presented Indian food. And on that same street is Taste of Punjab, a North Indian restaurant which serves authentic Punjabi food, top on the line flavor with typical Punjabi ambiance.
But because I loved the first breakfast that I had in the hotel, I decided to have room service instead so I can order from the same Kala Ghoda Restaurant that caters to the hotel's breakfast and all food served in the hotel. I looked at the menu and they all looked inviting although I don't really know what they are. I dialed room service and asked what Murgh Makhani is. I was told that it's a roasted chicken tikka tossed in fenugreek leaves with rich tomato sauce. I couldn't understand the words, probably it's because of the thick accent, but when I looked back at the menu, it's the same definition that was written on it. I could've just read it so it saved him time to read it back to me again.
The food arrived in just a few minutes. Hot, well-presented and it really looked scrumptious. It came along with a bowl of long, slender-grained aromatic basmati rice and a soda in a can. The food server looked very sheepish and withdrawn, though he was smiling the whole time. After he handed me over the receipt, where I was charged ₹365 for the Murgh Makhani and ₹175 for the rice, he immediately flew away after I gave him an exact change. Maybe because he was avoiding speaking to me in English fearing that he can't express himself fluently or probably he has pending jobs waiting for him upstairs.
So I started eating, though I don't really know how to start. There are onions, lemon slices, and a long green chili in a separate plate and a thick, pungent-smelling sauce in a bowl. There are also condiments at the sides which are all aromatic and piquant. I tried to Google hoping to find out instructions on how to eat this but there's a lot of links that lead me nowhere. So I just mixed a few rings of onions, the juice of the lemon, and a spoonful of sauce in the bowl and made my first bite of my first dinner in India. The chicken is really tender and sweet, and I can really taste that it is made of rich tomato curry and lots of cream and butter. It’s all about the sauce that I think makes it an authentic butter chicken. The buttery sauce really lingers in my tongue where I can taste the pureed juicy tomatoes and it's really heavenly. I finished it off like there's no tomorrow. Murgh Makhani is my new best-tasting favorite foreign food!
6. Murgh Kadai
On my second night, I decided early on to make another room service and have dinner in my room. I looked again at the menu and just below Murgh Makhani is another inviting viand for another glorious dinner. This time, the chicken is cooked with capsicum in kadai gravy which consists of onions, tomatoes, ginger, garlic & fresh ground spices. The dish is called Murgh Kadai.
My food was served promptly and its smell made me crave for it instantly. The chicken is smothered in a thick, spicy tomato masala sauce and its freshly ground whole spices are its major takeaway for its incredible taste. My first bite with the chewy chicken is so fiery and divine that I can't help but make continuous scoops of the basmati rice that comes with it. Its strong taste is a little bit stinging that it somehow overpowers the creaminess of the dish. I liked the scorching tickle in my mouth but I wished there was a different taste that will neutralize it just like Murgh Makhani but there's none. This is a straightforward dish. With the same price of ₹365 and another ₹175 for the basmati rice, I think I still would settle with the buttered chicken.
7. Dum Matka Murgh
I figured that my last dinner in India should be the most special so I ordered the most expensive of all the chicken dishes on the menu. I was told that the specialty of the house is called Dum Matka Murgh, where chunks of chicken were cooked in a rich brown gravy. Dum style in Indian cooking means "steamed" as it is slow-cooked to perfection although this is traditionally being done in a clay pot.
The chunks of chicken are really tender and they are easy on the teeth, but I loved chewing them a little longer because I can really taste a multitude of spices used to marinate the chicken. A concoction of thick buttermilk, coriander, saffron strands, and chopped cashews can be relished, all wading with turmeric and masala, with tons of fiery chilies. A thick cream paste is served which I mixed with freshly cut onions and a slice of lemon made the taste more out-of-this-effin-world! I didn't go wrong in picking the last dinner I'll have in India because it was genuinely idyllic and perfectly cooked. With just a few additional rupees of ₹375 for the dish and another ₹175 for the basmati rice, it's not that bad to satisfy my hunger and my growing love for Indian food.
IN-FLIGHT MEALS -------------------------------------------------------
8. Tomato and Potato Curry on Rice and Kachori
I swore to myself that I will be writing only about the meals I have eaten in Vadodara (thus, the title) but I really couldn't help but include the in-flight meals I had in AirIndia as they are equally exceptional as the authentic foods on the ground. My flight from Hong Kong to Delhi was my first real Indian food experience and it was the most unforgettable (see: From Manila to Vadodara - My Trip to Incredible India!). The Flight Attendants initially serve a packed snack called Moong Dal, a crispy fried green gram tossed with dry spices, as an appetizer that comes along with a glass of soda. Some passengers ask for a small, green bottled drink that smells like liquor, which could be the perfect pair for this snack treat from Haldiram's.
Not a long time to wait, the main course was served just a few minutes after the appetizers are all consumed. I was asked if I wanted a vegetarian meal or meat but I couldn't figure the difference so I asked the flight attendant to just hand me over what she thinks I would like. I was given a tray with Tomato and Potato Curry on Rice, which is exquisitely pungent and spicy, and my first bite was really gratifying. Normally, food tastes bland on a plane due to high altitude and cabin pressure which decreases the ability to taste and smell, but I think Indian food defies whatever food chemistry is observed onboard. I felt like eating this plain, unelaborated Indian dish is almost comparable to dining in a fancy restaurant in the country.
Along with it is a whole piece of kachori, which looks like an ordinary bread at first glance, but it is surprisingly garnished with moong dal, chili powder, and pepper. It is being paired with a 7g-sized Danish butter Lurpak, which is common with in-flight meals. Completing the set is a bowl of fruit slices with corn and green capsicum; and a cup of Spritzer, an air mineral semulajadi natural mineral water.
9. Chappati with Mixed Vegetables Curry
My flight from Delhi to Vadodara was at 4:45 am and would only take an hour and a half so I didn't expect that in-flight meal would still be served. I intended to sleep the entire flight but being in the middle seat, it was rather awkward than uncomfortable to be sleeping while being sandwiched by two strangers on the plane. Surprisingly, the rolling service trolley started distributing breakfast as soon as the plane reached 16,000 feet.
The food tray was served with two slices of warm chappati which was paired with Mixed Vegetables Curry, a dish with a combination of sweet spices of cinnamon and clove, and savory spices of cumin, turmeric, and bay leaf that gives it a deep, earthy flavor. The chili that comes with it, however, makes it a little unusual for me to be ingesting a spicy dish in the morning. Thanks to a croissant bread that was sitting against a Nova butter, probably endorsed by a popular Indian animated television cartoon character Chhota Bheem, which completed my definition of a usual carbohydrates-filled breakfast meal.
10. Potato and Ladies Finger Curry on Rice with Kachori and Gulab Jamun
I was on an Executive Class Seat on my flight from Delhi to Bangkok and apart from the premium services and overall roomier traveling experience to enjoy, what sets it apart uniquely is the distinction of food that is being served on a first-class flight. As soon as I got myself seated, a wine glass was immediately served and a menu of wine choices popped from the flight attendant's pocket. I requested a Sauvignon red wine while waiting for the take-off and I was served three times in succession.
Upon reaching the altitude apt for serving food for passengers, the flight attendant handed over the menu along with a small tray with 2 packets of cashew nuts and a glass of orange juice as an appetizer. There were a few choices on the menu but they all read strange to me so I just pointed to the first one on the list. You can tell the difference right away from the way the food is being served, the cutlery set, and the food itself compared to Economy Class and it was something that it's worth taking pleasure in.
The main dish has Potato Curry on the left side of the rice topped with cashew, sesame seeds, and herb spices, while Ladies Finger Curry is on the right. The Potato Curry has massive incredible flavors that looked meticulously done yet I see only cubed potatoes wrapped in a thick orange-colored paste made of spicy red chili, turmeric, and cumin powders dashed with coriander. The Ladies Finger Curry, on the other hand, is a green seeds pod vegetable known in my country as okra, which is exceptional as it is not as spicy as I expected it to be. It stabilizes the sharp taste and aroma of the Potato Curry which can actually be combined to balance the sweetness and tangy flavor of both dishes. Along with it are two spicy balls of Kachori, a kind of pastry that is deep-fried and is filled with savory stuffing, which reminds me of buchi back home.
Accompanying the main dish is one of the most popular staple foods in India, which is found in every Indian table every day, in all walks of life, is the yellow thick purée called Dal. It's a kind of dried legume normally served along with rice, or just comes along with a variety of dishes. I see other passengers mixing it with the main dish but eating it on its own is as heavenly as eating one complex meal. Surprisingly, I see three types of desserts in just one set of meals, and I find it extra-ordinary. On a separate bowl is a familiar milk-solid-based sweet called Gulab Jamun, a spongy milky ball that is too perfect for a sweet tooth like me. Right next to it is an Indian Bean Salad, which is made up of black-eyed peas, corn, kidney beans, kabuli chana with lemon on the side. And on the far right of the tray is a classic Dahi, or more popularly known as curd, was the last food I ingested which I enjoyed like a yogurt.
धन्यवाद
Big thanks to Ajay Kumar Badaik for introducing me to one of Baroda's iconic dishes and the staple food of the region. The experience of eating this food with bare hands made me appreciate the relationship of our bodies with the elements of nature, which our hands transmit space, air, fire, water, and earth elements to ourselves.
Big thanks also to Kailash Pradesh for lending me a hand in identifying some of the dishes and providing me their names. I will not be able to complete this article without you. Thanks a lot, buddy!