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On the way from Panchgani to Pune we saw the following: Petrol (gas line) Garbage Disposal

So as it turns out, our plans changed a little and instead of chaat (which we will do later), we went for Gujurati Style Thali. Not pictured were dishes from a later course such as rice, shrikhand, etc. We also ordered a special called Dal Dhokla, which is a Rajasthani dish with spiced dal and little dough balls to which a little pure ghee and sugar is added.

I have no idea at this point. It's up to the teaching chef I guess. I wrote to her that I had some panela...you can't get it here...but in her reply she didn't mention that. What is your favorite kind? Or favorites? And do you make it usually? Any tips to give me???? Peanut and Sesame is popular, though I prefer Kaju (Cashew) or Dry Fruits with Pistachios. Will try to post chikki pics soon.

Thanks Kim, I am glad you are enjoying it, even if you need to revisit it at a later date.

Have been in India for the past 10 days. My breakfasts have consisted of Chai and Biscuits, Vadas or Indian Style Eggs. Kheema and Scrambled Eggs Kera Per Eda (Eggs on Spiced Bananas)

Xilimmns, Welcome to eGullet! Great looking breakfast and I am going to try to make the egg your way - look delicious - need a yolk shot

If it looks like the image at (chances are you may have posted the pic), then it might be similar to Chicken 65 - http://www.google.com/search?q=chicken+65&hl=en&prmd=imvnse&tbm=isch&tbo=u&source=univ&sa=X&ei=NKKuTuDXG8rlrAe6t4jPDA&ved=0CEAQsAQ&biw=1366&bih=667&sei=%20SqKuTrziEILWrQfTyoXDDA Recipe for Chicken 65 - http://www.vahrehvah.com/Chicken+65:3560

Will be traveling for part of the day today, but also plan to visit a chaat place which I will post about.

Darienne, what kind of chikki do you plan to make?

Wow! Food is art.

What's that faint sound in the background? Do you hear it? Ahh...its Frank Sinatra singing "And now, the end is here". With that queue, my friends, I must bid you adieu. I hope you enjoyed this brief preview as much as I enjoyed sharing it with you. For those who would like, I will continue the bolg here. It may take a day or so for me to post as I need to attend to some business today and tomorrow. Special thanks to Heidi for her patience and Jenni for being my wing-lady.

Cool! I will look into it. I have paraglided before (and skydived). Though I have not been flying recently, I do have a PPL (Private Pilot's License) and want to now start flying helicopters. If I lived in Panchgani, I would probably buy a paraglider or a microlight aircraft or a glider (hard to get a tow but maybe one of electric motor ones) to enjoy the views.

What makes up the body of the white sauce in this dish ? Thanks Blether. The body of the saus (sauce) consists of water, flour and eggs which have been mixed with onions, garlic, chilies, malt vinegar, sugar and fish stock to induce flavor.

So yesterday we had a party for 25-30 people, which is considered an average size party. Was busy manning the grill and stuff so did not get as many pics as I would have liked. We setup tables under the stars with tikki lights. Grilled some tandoori chicken, chicken satay, chicken livers Pan fried goat rib chops after marinating them with garlic, ginger, ground coriander, cumin, chili powder, dipping them in an egg wash and coating them in semolina flour. We even had goat brain cutlets in a similar fashion, but unfortunately I did not get a pic in time. The main course was Prawn Biryani and Dabba Gohst (one pot meat dish).

Kera per Eda is somewhat of a lost dish were even not many Parsi's have eaten it. The masala is similar to akoori, then add bananas (the ripeness level is a personal preference) and crack some eggs on it. Some recipes call for "cooking bananas", similar to plantains, but I could not find them in the market.

Sabiha, That is a good looking Khawse. Shelby, Too add to Jenni's and Sabiha's responses, while Italian style pasta is not mainstream, it is gaining in popularity and many varieties (penne, spaghetti, fettuccine, etc) are available in select gourmet stores that cater to the "uppercrust". In fact, a few years ago I was looking into an import/export business for food items, including pastas from an Italian manufacturer. One of my favorite Indo-Chinese dishes is "American Chop Suey", which consists of crispy noodles in a tomato sauce with onions, garlic, peppers, etc and topped with a fried egg. Interestingly, I have never seen it in the US.

Believe it or not, we are just scratching the surface of Parsi / Indian cuisine here. We still have a large party planned for tonight where we will be grilling different meats, offal, etc. Unfortunately, the time for this blog is coming to an end, so at Heidi's suggestion, I might continue the blog here, on the India Forum, so those who are interested can follow along. I hope you enjoyed the brief peek and sorry about the crappy pics.

For lunch today we had Saus Ni Maachi (fish in white sauce) which is a sweet, spicy, sour dish served with Khichdior rice with yellow lentils. This is traditionally eaten with fried papad. For dessert we had Malido.

Upon returning from Harrison's point, we had a "light dinner" of Roasted Leg of Goat and Goat Kebabs along with the left over Pulao. While the images might suggest the leg was charred, I can assure you it was cooked to tender perfection on the inside. Our original plan was to fire up the tandoor over, which we may do tonight for a large party. For dessert we had Lagan Nu Custard which is similar to Creme Caramel but with a slightly different texture and cardamom.

Thinking of Jenni when we had these homemade Vadas with some tea. The potatoes we used were grown in "lal mitti" or red soil and have a distinct mineral flavor, I am assuming from the iron and other minerals in the soil. After tea we played with the puppies and then went to Harrison's point to enjoy the view and observe the paragliding.

I promised Dhansak, which is served with white rice which is stirred with butter, onion, cinnamon, cardamon and bay leaf. Instead we made the Dal along with Mutton (goat) Pulao. The Pulao was cooked in an old pot over a wood fire with the lid sealed with dough. Mise en place It was delicious. The rice was fluffy, the meat succulent, potatoes crispy from the frying yet tender from the inside. The Dal had a velvety texture and melting fat from the goat added an extra dimension of umami.

Dakki, hope that is a good thing Actually, my aunt owns a travel/tourism company in India and perhaps I can work with her to setup a food centric tour

In keeping with the "Per Eda" tradition... Kera Per Eda - Eggs with spices on Bananas Sali Per Eda - Eggs on spiced crispy potatoes Kheema (spicy minced goat) and Scrambled Eggs. Smoked Duck Breast and Duck Crackling with Fried Egg

You are too kind Prasantrin. While it is true that my stomach may have a slightly higher tolerance level, one can have a good time by being a little smart about what and where they eat. I avoid the water, ice, etc (the gola was enjoyed by my nephew and brother not me but did get a nimbu soda from bottled club soda, without ice). Most of the street food is safe if made fresh and hot. Avoid anything that is sitting out for a while, check the rancidity of the oil for fried items and avoid the street chutney because of water. Watch the surroundings in which the food is prepared. Basic steps. I did fall a bit ill on my last trip but I suspect it was from jumbo prawns at an upscale restaurant rather than street food. I do carry prescription medication with me and luckily I have not had to use it thus far.

Nikkib, IMHO there is no right or wrong way to eat a thali. In fact, in some communities, they start the meal with dessert. However, typically I start with the Papad along with some pickles or yogurt, then eat the vegetables with the roti, then they serve rice on which you can pour the dal or kadhi and finish with a sweet dish like shrikhand or eat the yogurt which is supposed to cool your digestive system. Jenni, I invite you to add to this.