Pardon the heightened reaction…:-)
Elaboration follows!
Last night, Pinch and I visited this eatery called ‘Chatpati’ which serves Indian chats and snacks. Dosa, bhelpuri, chhole bhature et al. I marveled at how the Chinese food we eat in India NO WAY resembles authentic Chinese food eaten in China. This rings true for the Chinese food served in many Chinese restaurants in the USA too, Pinch said. Of course, there are a few places which serve the real thing too but those are fewer. Likewise for Italian food and other Continental cuisine. My point was, all cuisines undergo subtle changes in order to cater to the specific palates of the clientele. Well, not so for Indian food, Yoo Hoo!
Indian food as served and relished in USA or UK is not very distant from the R-E-A-L Indian food served back home. It might be a tad less spicy but it is very similar to what we eat in India. I mean to say, Indian food has been universally accepted and enjoyed without it straying from its traditional essence or losing its essential homeliness. No Americanisations or Britishness added.. Just itself.
Quite nice, when I think of it…:-)
At Chatpati, dosa was spelled as ‘Dhosa’. Pinch pointed this to me and remarked that it was a typically Gujarati spelling; the way a Gujarati would say ‘dHosa’. I replied that a Malayalee would also pronounce ‘dosa’ with a ‘h’. But the ‘h’ would appear after ‘s’ resulting in ‘dosha’… Get me?
As for coincidences, here’s an article which near-rhapsodises… I came close to drooling, I promise!
After Centuries, the Vegetarian Feast of India Finally Arrives
rileen says:
But the ‘h’ would appear after ‘s’ resulting in ‘dosha’… Get me?
Yup, loud & clear – i’ve heard both versions many times 🙂
It might be a tad less spicy but it is very similar to what we eat in India.
Well, i do usually find a bit too heavy, but i agree – as long as we compare it to Indian restaurants in India rather than “ghar ka khaana”.
March 26, 2004 — 2:32 pm
lalunadiosa says:
desi food
Lux you actually think desi food here tastes as almost good as desi food back home??? babe you HAVE to tell me where this restaurant is if you think it is THAT (ok now I feel like Chandler!!!) good….I have been singularly unhappy with the desi food here :'(
One bright spot in my otherwise sad desi food experience here was the Udipi place that Amita and Javs took me to last weekend….best rava masala dosa I had eaten in a LOOOOOONG time….arre yaar just thinking about it is making me hungry!!!!
Distracting me from my heuristics homework….argh…need food NOW!!!
March 26, 2004 — 10:16 pm
deelight says:
I agree with the Dos’h’a part! And yay to Indian food!
March 27, 2004 — 4:41 am
radhika74 says:
locks, i feel that indian food tastes different in the u.s because the ingredients taste different..i mean,take their vegetables…huge,shiny,spotless..and tasteless! must be the result of all that genetic engineering.
March 28, 2004 — 1:00 am
trycatchdenz says:
And I don’t even get decent Indian food in India… tch tch…
Cheerz,
Denz
March 28, 2004 — 2:25 am
Lakshmi says:
Oops!
Oh, I am sorry. Do you think I should paste the entire article here? Kinda huge, it is…Hmmm?
March 29, 2004 — 4:37 am