Some Like It Hot

Eating has been a bit of an adventure here in India.  None of were really big fans of Indian food before we left the States, but being the adventurous types that we are, we've all tried many things here that we’ve never heard of or seen before, sometimes because the food sounds or looks tempting, but mostly because outside of breakfast, American food isn’t always available, whereas Indian food is always available.  It’s been fun to stretch our culinary horizons, even if sometimes it’s by force and not by choice.  The good news for me is that almost all Indian food is naturally gluten free, except for the naan bread, and for the most part the food has been tasty; however, Indian food is spicy.  In fact, authentic Indian food seems to come in three spice levels: very spicy, super-duper spicy and thermonuclear meltdown.  Yeah, it’s that spicy.  Most of the Indian food that we’ve eaten has had the heat level turned way down in order to make it palatable (read tolerable) for the Western palate.  Even dumbed down for us Americans, the food is sometimes so spicy I have a hard time getting through a meal - and I like spicy food.  And the spice combinations seem to run to three flavor profiles, so even though the dishes all look different and are made with different meats and/or veggies, everything tastes like one of three things.  Either that or the relentless spiciness has just blown out my tastebuds altogether and I’m now unable to taste anything but cumin, turmeric and saffron.  Interestingly, although this “mildly” spiced food is still hot enough that you’re just about to breathe fire and have a four-alarm fire going in your belly for the rest of the night, most Indians won’t touch the stuff.  It’s too bland for them.  Don’t know how they do it.  I really don’t.  

We’ve just spent the last couple of days staying in an amazing heritage hotel near Ranthambhore National Park and eating nothing but Indian food for lunch and dinner, and I have to say, I'm done.  Completely done.  Jill’s done, too.  So is my mom.  If we never eat another Indian dish as long as we live, I think we’ll all be fine with it.  I’m talking massive Indian food burnout.  It was fun while it lasted, but we’re over it now.  (Except, of course, for David.  He’s lapping this stuff up by the plateful and loving every bite, especially the spiciness.  He’s a sick, sick man!) As I type this post, we are on another crazy bus ride, heading to the final city we’re visiting on this trip, Jaipur.  We’re staying in the Hilton and I’m praying that there are American gluten-free options on the menu at the hotel.  Anything that doesn’t singe my tongue and give me 24/7 heartburn will do. I’m so jonesing for a steak right now - just don’t tell my new Hindu friends. (Honey, are you listening?  A nice juicy piece of medium-rare beef had better be in my immediate future when I get back home or I’m going to have to eat my leather shoes!) 

So, are you ready for a little food porn?  I’ll give you a little peek at some of the dishes we’ve been eating.  Don’t ask me what they were called.  Don’t ask me what they were made out of.  And please, please don’t ask me to eat any of it ever again.