sartoric

Chicken parmigiana with potato cauliflower mash and buttery garlic spinach.

Felafels with chickpea & cauliflower tabouli, tahini sauce and pita bread.

A South Indian meal. The sambar from two nights ago was repurposed with extra dal, masoor dal this time. I made mango pickle on the weekend (was given about 30 green and ripening mangoes), so we tried some of that. Also a potato and spinach curry, plus dosas and a little yoghurt with green chillies.

I had a packet mix in my hands when I approached the counter...the owner suggested I try her frozen batter, then gave me some instructions. I also watched some u tubes to get the technique....it's pretty easy. To make from scratch you soak rice and urad dal separately, drain and grind them, then leave to ferment. I will be trying these at some stage. I'm so lucky to have this great indian shop nearby, it's been in the same spot with the same owner for more than 20 years.

Not a mix, but I was still cheating. There's an Indian grocer only a few minutes away from my place. She makes the batter and sells it frozen in tubs. I'll eventually progress to making my own batter, but first wanted to get the cooking technique sorted. I think they're filling, usually I'd have two for breakfast, larger ones than these though.

My first attempt at dosa, served here with sambar and fresh tomato chutney.

Thank you so much @gfron1. I've just watched the episode on Tamil Nadu where we spent ten days recently. Not only did the matriarch of our accommodation in the Chettinad region make an appearance, but we also recognised the grounds of the hotel and some of the men who cook there. Fascinating how the cuisine evolved too.

Winner winner, chicken dinner ! Served with mash potatoes, roast carrots, garlic beans and roast garlic gravy.

Thai beef salad. Loosely based on this recipe. http://www.bonappetit.com/recipe/thai-steak-and-noodle-salad

Thanks for your thanks everyone. The food was fantastic, okay there were a couple of forgettable meals, but overall we were very lucky. The best thing, he who must be fed has lost 4 kilos, and feels that he doesn't need to eat as much meat as before.

No, @KennethT, this time only in transit at Changi. We've been there several times before, using it as a stopover to break up the long flight to Europe. Great food, and there's some things I haven't seen yet. Maybe next time.

The flowers are woven into garlands for blessing of the deities, (of which there are innumerable), they can be worn, or wrapped around your car's Ganesh statue (ours sat on the dashboard). Most women have flowers in the hair, especially so for a special occasion. This particular flower market was in Varanasi probably the most sacred city. Many Hindus seek a cremation on the Ganges as a step towards freedom from rebirth. Along with this goes worship, so the garlands are for the various statues of deities. Hindu temples are fascinating. Each lassi is made to order, the pots are cheap, it keeps the pot maker families fed, somehow it would be recycled into something else. This is Incredible India ! Good to hear you enjoyed the trip.

All of the properties that line the Ganges toe the line as far as reverence to the holy sites, sort of. We had a late afternoon snack at this place, masala pappads and a beverage. Not beer (much). Our last meal in India, technically not, we're at 35,000 ft on the way to Singapore. Hey, we are flying with Air India, so to me it still counted. The choice was veg or chicken, we both went the veg. Can't remember the last time I finished an airline meal, and I don't think I've ever said "that was great". Thanks for letting me relive what was an extraordinary time in India. Here's a favourite photo ! Happy travels.....

The Ganges View hotel is housed in a beautifully restored colonial era mansion. In deference to the sacred river only vegetarian food is served, all prepared without the use of garlic or onions. There is no liquor license (which doesn't mean you can't get a beer smuggled up to the top terrace). Breakfast pooris, with veg masala and a spicy chutney. Dinner is a set menu served buffet style with some shared tables in this gorgeous room. One of the dinners, chapattis and pappad, perfumed rice, cauliflower curry, tomatoes stuffed with chickpeas and coconut, pea curry, masala dal, paneer masala, a salad with tomato, daikon and fruit curd, plus tamarind pickle. This is served with water, and followed by a vermicelli pudding, round sweets made with coconut, white chocolate and a filling of apple purée, then coffee. At 350 rupees per person, it's a real bargain.

On to the sacred city of Varanasi for proof that cows do eat garbage. We took a walk with a charming young man from Varanasi Walks, highly recommended. This is top of the milk. The flower market where we climbed to a second storey for the crowd shot. A lassi each at the famous Blue Lassi, 80 flavours on the menu, each made to order in a one time use terracotta cup. His is strawberry and chocolate, mine is pomegranate and pistachio.

Breakfast at Hotel Arches in Fort Kochi. I can't pass up the dosa, this one filled with spicy potato masala, served with sambar, coconut chutney and tomato chutney. He who must be fed had masala omelette. And, we both tried this, name escapes me, a steamed semolina cake with fresh coconut and bean curry.

Finally it's slightly cooler, so my long awaited South Indian meal happened. Chidambaram eggplant, dal parriparu, fresh tomato chutney, steamed rice and parathas. If you're interested in the food, produce and markets of Southern India, pop over to the "India Dining" section for a look at some photos from our recent trip.

@Porthos, thanks, we have a big barbie. I could drag out the small gas stove I guess. Over the past few days it's been only a degree or two difference between inside the house and outside !

A surprise find was a North Indian restaurant in the old town area. DalRoti is in Lily St Fort Kochi, highly rated on zomato.com and very popular. Several groups waited while we enjoyed two veg thali and salt lime/mango sodas. The one at the back has aloo paratha, the front has paneer curry with rice, both have dal, potato curry, veg masala and cooling curd. We ate all of this. Had room for a shared gulab jamon..... A great cheap eat, INR 580 for two.

Cochin and the old town area of Fort Kochi is famous for its Chinese fishing nets. It takes five men to haul up the ropes holding rocks which act as a counterweight. Fascinating to watch, a lot of effort for what at the time was a meagre catch. This was likely the catch from several nets over several hours and the bigger fish from sea going boats.

OMG, how could you put the oven on ? Aircon ?

There's few decent photos from our time in the Alleppey backwaters. Dining was under a thatched roof held up by bamboo poles with very poor lighting. It was also communal so I was busy chatting rather than shooting. This is the best one. Bread, onion pickle, rice with mango chutney, lentils, veg masala and fried potatoes.

We also tried the toddy, distinct smell of sweaty socks, but any port in a storm (he he). On a country boat ride we saw the guys tapping palm trees, I love how they adapt and make use of just about everything.

It's still too hot to cook...so another antipasto platter. This one featuring a King Island dairy roaring forties blue, ham, hot sopressa, Sicilian lemon garlic olives, tiny radishes, bocconcini, avocado and mango relish. Served with dark rye bread. I'm itching to try out some of my new indian ingredients, maybe today it will be cooler.

Breakfast at Ann's - toast with homemade jam, dates, fried things, rice flour cakes with coconut milk and a fried egg each. More than adequate. Notice the hand basin in the background, common in many dining rooms so people can wash their hands before eating. On to the Alleppey backwaters, the rice bowl of India (one of many). Lunch at Emerald Isle homestay. Grilled fish, beetroot pickle, zucchini, green beans, salad, pappads and rice with coconut mango chutney. This is the local rice (johdi I think) with really plump grains, delicious.