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Peter, The legend is that there was a tree planted by none other than Mahatma Gandhi in the center of the ring. Unfortunately, several decades ago, the tree was damaged in a storm and lost. Because of its historic significance, it has not been renovated into a garden or fire pit. Our neighbor has a similar tree which was also struck by lightening but is still growing.

The simple version of the tandoori marinade can be made by mixing ready made tandoori spice with yoghurt. This version also had fish masala and a touch of dhansak masala for an extra kick

Yes Jenni, it is Jowar. It was described to me as green wheat but Wikipedia calls it Sorghum amongst other names. The gola was raspberry, lime and mango. Should have got Kala Khatta.

Went to Mahableshwar yesterday, passing local traffic. When we reached the market, one of the first stops was the Ice Gola guy who serves flavored shaved ice. For a late lunch we stopped at a family run restaurant by the lake for a Maharashtrian thali. The family kitchen where they cook. Corn Pattice - Spiced corn fritters Corn Pakkoras Onion Pakkoras Thali - clockwise from 12 o'clock - Eggplant, Kadhi, Yoghurt, green wheat chapati, potatoes, corn. for dessert - Strawberries & Cream

Time to sleep but tomorrow I promise more eggcitement

The other night we made Tandoori Lobster And a few grilled lobsters with truffle butter. .

Nice blog Pastameshugana. Let me know if you miss any particular food item and I will try to post about it if I can. Day before yesterday, we made a Parsi style lunch which is typically eaten on auspicious days. Dhan Dar with Haveji Patio (Rice with yellow lentils and spicy tomato fish sauce). The item at the 11 o'clock position is local Tomato chutney which contains some dried fruits as well. Delicious. Haveji is a special kind of Patio, which is rare to find even in Parsi circles. You made it my lightly frying onions, adding garlic and then add a paste made from water and tumeric, chili powder, dhana jera, garam masala and usually any other masala you fancy from your "masala dubba" or small box of spices which is omnipresent in every Indian kitchen. Once you fry the spices along with the onions for 10-15 min, you will see the oil start to separate out. Add in pureed tomatoes along with a few tablespoons of dark vinegar for a sour component and jaggery for a sweeter note. You may have noticed that the "recipe" did not provide strict measurements. This is because as with many ancient recipes, there are various adaptations, including family variations. I don't believe the recipe for Haveji (if it is spelt that way) has been published before. I could not find it on the web nor in the cookbooks in hand in India. Will have to check my larger collection of cookbooks in the US. Marinate fish in salt, tumeric and a little chili powder. Pan fry it until golden brown and you can serve it along the side to enjoy the crispy skin or add it into the Haveji. This kitchen is quite different from what I am used to, but there is something about cooking without fancy gizmos in simple, old hand hammered pots that adds the flavor of nostalgia to the dish.

A trip to the farmer's market...

A few breakfasts... Kheema - spiced minced goat Delicious with scrambled eggs Made truffle eggs on toast for my brother

Chikki is essentially brittle, usually made with nuts and jaggery.

Here is one of the many chikki places by Lonavala and I hope to document this and the Jam places in more detail.

We finally arrive. The cooler breeze is refreshing, but the view is priceless. We sit for a late lunch of the Maharashtrian style chicken and spicy gravy we picked up from the farm restaurant. We also had green wheat chapatis with a super spicy chili chutney. After lunch we rode the ATVs around the compound, enough to warrant a quick afternoon nap.

After driving up the winding mountain roads called Ghats, we reached the center of Panchgani, which was decked out getting ready for Diwali. Snacks of spiced channa and peanuts A form of transport which is stilled used to pack people into Jeeps to take them to nearby areas. Will see of we can hitch a ride one of these days.

On the 2hr trip from Pune to Panchgani, we stopped by a few places for breakfast and a small farm/restaurant (does not get much more farm to table when they are eat located 6ft apart) to pick up lunch. The restaurant is located under a large Banyan tree which must be at least 200 years old, if not much more. The cooking is done over an open flame Milk source in the background Chickens, minus 1

Happy Diwali and Happy New Year to you! Here are some fireworks we lit last night. For those who may not be familiar, Diwali is a major festival in India (kind of a combination of Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Year) and is widely celebrated. Most schools and business are shut for a few days if not a week or more. While not technically a Parsi holiday, in true form we never turn down an opportunity to celebrate, often with much gusto. What? Today is Wed? There must be some reason to party

Kate, I believe Jalebi dough is different from Gulab Jamun, which contains milk solids. The Jalebi is crispier (they ask you how crispy you like it when they fry the dough) and then it is quickly dunked in the sugar syrup. It is a common sweet found at Indian stores outside India as well. Try it if you see it. I recommend having it with a glass of warm milk.

Whilst in Bombay, I went to a local tandoor place for lunch with my nephews and had: Rashmi Kebab Tandoori Chicken Tandoori Naan and Rumali Roti Rumali means handkerchief and they say it should be almost transparent. Gohst Anarkali Mutton (Goat) Biryani

Being that it is Diwali season, the sweet shops and dry fruit places are doing brisk business.

Khandvi - made out of gram (chickpea) flour and buttermilk. The art is to make it into a thin film and then roll them up so that it melts in your mouth.

Custard apple does taste very similar to Cherimoya but IMHO custard apple has a slightly softer skin, texture and is sweeter.

By Jenni's request...here is Vada Pav from a popular place in Pune. There was a huge rush and even Rickshaw drivers stop by for a quick bite. They are made fresh in batches every 4-5 minutes.

Is that glass full of the juice that simply gets squeezed out of the cane? Yes, it is fresh squeezed sugar cane juice and as Heidi points out, it is ground in a hand cranked or motorized press along with, in this case, ginger and lime to give it some depth of flavor. I have other pics which I need to download and will post them extracting the juice. Here is how they extract the juice from the sugar cane.

It is a little after 8am as I type this overlooking a 270 degree view of 5 valleys. Will post pic soon. Have to go to the market to pic up some fresh minced meat and a few items for breakfast.

Is that glass full of the juice that simply gets squeezed out of the cane? Yes, it is fresh squeezed sugar cane juice and as Heidi points out, it is ground in a hand cranked or motorized press along with, in this case, ginger and lime to give it some depth of flavor. I have other pics which I need to download and will post them extracting the juice.

A few misc snacks along the way... Patra- A snack made with Tarro leaved and Chickpea flour. Jalebi - Fried dough spirals soaked in sugar syrup Being made Sweet Lassi topped with Malai (cream)