lessons in food

I like to eat. It's one of my favorite past times. I grew to enjoy eating more as I began to cook. I had the opportunity to experiment in creativity because I was the only one eating the finished product.

Coming to India I wanted to walk away with the ability to cook at least one dish for myself. I know I could always go to an Indian restaurant, but I'm cheap. Well I have had the opportunity to watch and take part in a few creations. I'll need to stop by an India food store before creating at home, but I think I should be able to complete them satisfactorily.

I am coming home prepared to recreate two different types of curry (with a potential for one more) and chipatti (pretty much a flour tortilla, but different). I also come home prepared to teach people how to effectively eat with their hands. The locals around here have been impressed with my ability to do so as easily as I do. I just tell them it's like reverting back to my childhood.

Along the way, I have also shared some of my cooking experience as well. Back in February I made pink-vodka sauce with crab meat for dinner when Sanjay and Keren were too busy to cook. It's a staple in Coyle eating folklore, and it has now joined similar ranks with the Dalavai family. Likewise I have shown some of the wonders which can be done with eggs when making an omelet. They were already aware of most, but I gave ideas for ways to add an extra "oomph" when needed.

Last night was most likely the most entertaining food knowledge I dished out. Upon arriving in January, I leaked out my appreciation for the fruit of the sea. I used to dislike sushi, but grew a thorough enjoyment for it in recent years. Well, they wanted to take me to a sushi place before I left in order to introduce them to it.

I ordered 8 spicy tuna rolls and 8 sushi. The sushi had two of each fish: sea bass, tune, salmon, octopus (I didn't want prawns so they gave me this instead). Everybody ate one roll. The girls were not overly enthused, but the older ones ate the entire thing. The sushi was received even less warmly. Only Sanjay and Keren were eager to try. Sanjay liked, while Keren did not. Regardless it was a joy to watch them try and eat the sushi because I felt like it's been what people have been doing with me for two months.

Oh the wonders of food!