What do you bring back from India?

[rajsuman]

I'd posted this question in an earlier discussion, but it got buried somewhere, so here it is again:

What unusual things do you bring back from India? I've brought varak, copper vessels, the traditional butter-churner (mathani, even though I don't use it - mainly for decoration purposes), dried rose petals, bamboo shoots in brine, raw mangoes in brine....

Still on my list/wish list: Hyderabad ka potli masala, brass vessels, the black claypot my grandma used to make her famous fish curry in, surahi (a bit far-fetched I know), bharanis.

Suman

[mongo_jones]

i usually bring back 10-15 pounds of animal fat. mostly wrapped around my belly. and i bring a packet of korapak shondesh that usually doesn't survive the flight home.

[easyguru]

Pickles

Stone grinder

Home made masala

Gajalee masala (from Gajalee restaurant in bombay)

Small amount of curd to seed home made curd

Dagad Phool ( this is a spice used in maharashtrian kadhi not available here)

Mithai

[anil]

Pickles

Stone grinder

Home made masala

Gajalee masala (from Gajalee restaurant in bombay)

Small amount of curd to seed home made curd

Dagad Phool ( this is a spice used in maharashtrian kadhi not available here)

Mithai

Herbal Toothpaste

Jaal Jeera powder

Amrithdhara

I have never checked bags in past two decades so it has to fit my carry-on(s).

[Peppertrail]

I'd posted this question in an earlier discussion, but it got buried somewhere, so here it is again:

What unusual things do you bring back from India? I've brought varak, copper vessels, the traditional butter-churner (mathani, even though I don't use it - mainly for decoration purposes), dried rose petals, bamboo shoots in brine, raw mangoes in brine....

Still on my list/wish list: Hyderabad ka potli masala, brass vessels, the black claypot my grandma used to make her famous fish curry in, surahi (a bit far-fetched I know), bharanis.

Suman

Suman:

I have brought back copper, brass and stainless steel vessels, home made pickles and sun dried preserves, mango and jack fruit jams and even dried curry leaves in the past. The number of things I bring back from India have decreased over the years. However, the two things I still bring back are pappadams and rice from our family farm for making rice pudding. Kerala pappadam is very different from papads you get in in Indian stores abroad. It has a hint of asafoetida and cumin and when deep fried, Kerala pappadam puffs up like a poori and tastes simply delicious. Unfortunately it has a very short shelf life. Probably that is why they are not exported. I ask the pappadam maker to bring them just before I leave home, and the first thing I do when I reach US is to pack them in zip lock bags and freeze. When frozen it stays fresh for a year. No Kerala Vegetarian feast is complete without puffy pappadams.

Peppertrail

[mongo_jones]

since i'll be going to calcutta on this trip i'll bring back some kashondi (the bengali mustard "sauce")--alu-saag isn't the same without kashondi.