India

It was quite some time since I was in India but I felt I wanted to share some particular highlights.  It's the ultimate food paradise - a continuous heady mix of food sizzling street-side, the juiciest mangoes and papayas, tiny super sweet bananas, and of course copious little glasses of creamy, spicy chai with a samosa straight from the fryer as our obligatory daily breakfast.  It never ceased to amaze me how the Chaiwala could pour from such a height in a perfect arc without splashing it all over the floor.

I remember the evening I arrived in Mumbai, my first night in India, lured to Chowpatty beach by the promise of a feast of food stalls and home of the vada pav, a battered potato ball served in bun with chutney.  In the end though, we were taken by the the masala dosas - paper thin rice and lentil pancakes overflowing from the plate, served with spiced potatoes and chutneys.  A fantastic place for people watching, Chowpatty boasts the most beautiful sunsets and as the sea sparkles pink, there's a hodge-podge of incredible smells, the hubbub of people coming together to share food.

My most memorable experience from my whole time in India was persuading a samosa stall holder in the ancient fort city of Mandu in Madhya Pradesh to let my friend and I have a go at making samosas - very brave of him!  Whilst he shaped 30 perfect samosas, we'd managed one very wobbly one each.  They all disappeared in to the vat of oil together but when they were fished out, it couldn't have been more obvious which were ours...they definitely stood out, and not in a good way!  I'd make the mistake I always do with filled goods - being overambitious with the amount of filling I can get in - definitely a case of less is more!

But despite the spiced potato, onions and peas bursting from the seams, it was as delicious as any other samosa hot and sizzling, straight from the fryer, burning your fingers through the paper.  It's quite the skill so if you get the chance, give it a go! (and remember, when it comes to samosa filling, less is more!).

Another extraordinary place is Sri Harmandir Sahib, the Golden Temple at Amritsar.  A site devoted to Sikhism, where armies of volunteers cook meals which everyone is welcome to regardless of wealth, wash 1000s of dishes and mop the floors inside and out to keep the temple sparkling clean 24/7.  It's an incredible atmosphere to be a part of - everyone working as one to ensure every person is fed and the site remains immaculate - the most efficient of machines.  

I helped out in the 'kitchens' - joining 100s of others grouped around mats on the floor, peeling tons and tons of garlic for the dahl.  Despite having no common language, we communicated through charades and smiles.  And this industrially produced food was up there with the best of my time in India - heart and soul poured in to the simple yet wholesome dahl, accompanied by chapatis tossed from baskets on to row upon row of cross legged laps.  

The serenity within the temple complex was a welcome contrast to the constant hustle and bustle of the outside, and being very close to the border with Pakistan, there's the opportunity to catch the bus to the Waggah - Attari border for the daily ceremony.  As the sun sets each day, both country's flags are lowered as part of an ostentatious display of military drills, with both sides competing for who can kick their legs the highest.  Both National and International tourists flock to fill the stands whilst munching on candy floss and popcorn - who needs a cinema!  It's fun, utterly bizarre, and definitely has to be experienced once!

Thali.  One of the greatest inventions I decided - a feast of a great variety of miniature dishes served on a platter (or thali), with the idea to perfectly balance sweet, salty, bitter, sour, astringent and spicy all on one plate.  Varying from region to region and shop to shop, they're cheap, filling and a wonderful way to experience many different dishes.  Plus you'll never get the same one twice.