Mcdonalds!

Being in India, I really wanted to see if a chicken sandwich at Mcdonalds here would taste the same as the ones back home.  Was it a sight to see or what?! It was packed with people just pouring in.  There were some familiar options and some new ones as well like the McSpicy Paneer sandwich.  I was really craving a McChicken sandwich, but was torn when I saw the Chicken Maharaja Mac.  It’s basically their version of a Big Mac since beef is not commonly served in India.  My stomach was saying go for what I’m craving, but my adventurous side was telling me to try something new.  Naturally, I ordered the Chicken Maharaja Mac.  To be quite honest, I was not really happy with it.  In fact, I could not finish it, which is VERY unlike me.  The fries and chicken nuggets were pretty much the same as usual.  I later tried the spicy McChicken sandwich and THAT was tasty.  If I’m ever in the mood for McDonalds again, I would definitely get that next time.

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Golden Door, Mumbai

First Indian restaurant of my trip!  Golden Door in Bandra, within walking distance of where I’m staying in India, was just what I needed to kick off this food adventure.  Everything we ordered was fantastic!  Nothing to complain about here.

Masala Papad, cripy layer topped with tomatoes, cilantro, onion and spices

Raita, a cucumber yogurt side dish/appetizer

Grilled Paneer

Each dish had a side of pickled vegetables that complements the meal. It was my favorite part of the meal.

Pomfret Fry (Fried Pomfret fish)

Garlic Naan

Mutton Vindaloo

After-meal breath freshener

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Day 2 of my adventures: Gunpati Celebration

On the second day of my trip, there was a huge celebration going on. I stepped out of the house to see what all the commotion was about.  We came across a brightly lit alleyway with tons of street vendors all lined up selling all sorts of things.  It felt like Christmas except this is pretty much the norm here, year-round.  Here are some pictures of some of the things I sampled.

A little girl praying to Gunpati, the God of wisdom

The Indian ice cream man.  The ice cream was kept cold and scooped straight out of that portable metal cooler.

Ice cream flavors: Mango, pistachio, strawberry, and fig, served up on a leaf

THIS is what I wish we had in LA…a man on every street corner serving freshly-cut exotic fruits

Isn’t that GORGEOUS!?

Local Milk Man

Vendor selling nothing but dates

The Roasted Peanuts Man!?

Sweet Samosas, drizzled in syrup

Brightly colored thingamabobs called “bundi”.  They come in a sweet or savory flavor.  The baker laughed when I took pictures of the desserts and rolled his eyes saying, “Heh, Americans!”

  A local woman who made a big fuss of me being in  the alley. She wanted a picture with me so a few of them took snapshots of me with their camera phones like I was some kind of foreigner or something!?

A lamb, chillin in front of the butcher shop, probably waiting to be someone’s dinner.

“Bhari” is a sweet snack made from cow’s milk.  It looks like cheese and has the texture of silken tofu. I ate it every morning with my tea

 I hope you enjoyed the mini tour.  I was bright-eyed the entire time because there was so much to see and so many things to taste.  Trust me when I say that this isn’t even half of it.  There’s still plenty more to come!

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Dad’s Macaroni And Cheese

I was afraid I’d leave Canada before having one of my absolute favorite dishes my dad makes but luckily at the last second, for my last meal, just before I left for the airport, they made me my dad’s recipe for macaroni and cheese.  It is made with chicken and topped with black pepper.  This is something I grew up eating and if you knew what went in it you’d probably think it’s a little unconventional for mac’ and cheese. Regardless, any mac’ and cheese that I try rarely beats this recipe, as simple as it is.  The funny thing is that NO MATTER WHAT I try, it never quite tastes the same when I make it on my own. To tell you the truth, I don’t know for sure what makes it so good, but I think it has to do with his secret ingredient.  This is, yet again, another meal I have to return for in order to have.

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Homemade Turkish Food

Just for the record, the best homemade food I have ever had so far has been Turkish food.  Specifically Turkish food from Turkey, as opposed to the type of Turkish food that I’m used to cooking which originates from the northern part of Iran called Azerbaijan. Every thing that I’ve eaten so far from our Turkish friends has been incredibly unique and delicious.  The last time I had a homemade Turkish dinner at our friend’s house was 6 years ago!  To this day, I still remember every single dish that they made.  That just shows you what a foodie I am.  On this trip to Canada, I was fortunate enough to have dinner at their house again.  Can I just say, I was in HEAVEN!!!  Every single dish had been prepared so meticulously.  I cannot even begin to tell you how refreshing it is to try new foods that are healthy and homemade.  This is definitely one cuisine that I want to explore.

 Tomato bulgar with fresh herbs

Dolmeh: stuffed grape leaves and bell peppers

Garlic yogurt with sauteed eggplant and peppers, drizzled with olive oil

 Marinated and fried beef. This was so tasty because it had the perfect seasonings.  It was my favorite dish of the evening.

Rice topped with sauteed vegetables

Pastry filled with flat leaf parsley and feta cheese

Most things displayed here are very time consuming to make and that is  why I appreciated every single bite.  Going in I knew I was in for a treat and they sure did come through.  I can’t wait to get the recipes and try them for myself

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My Dad’s Famous Pizza

One thing I recently learned on this trip to Canada, is WHY my dad makes such perfect pizzas.  Turns out he purposely worked at a pizza parlor when he was young just so that he could learn all the tricks of the trade.  Trust me when I say, it shows.  He kneaded the dough and laid it out in a perfect circle on the pizza rack.  He is famous among our friends for making the BEST homemade pizza ever!  This is one family tradition that I never skimp out on.  I don’t even have to ask, they already know that this is one meal that makes the list of things I need to eat before I leave, every single time.

Me getting in on the action

You cannot have my dad’s famous pizza without the Labatt Blue beer and Banana Peppers

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