Rice Flour

A couple of years ago T came into our lives. A very sweet, helpful woman from south India that speaks malayalam and excellent English. She quickly learned all of my grandmothers recipes for mandel bread cookies, potato kugel, and eggplant parmesan. 

When she goes to the market, she makes a special stop at the asian food market and buys ingredients for her own food. Spices that remind her of home, vegetables and rice flour. An Indian cook, right at our doorstep, but not our own. 

One day, after hinting elegantlly that as much as I love my grandma's food, an Indian meal would be kinda awesome, T hosted us for a meal. I was just on a vegan not gluten diet and it was lent, so she was also vegan for the week. As soon as I entered the house, the smell of authentic Indian food was everywhere. Right after the hug to my grandma, I was immediately given a chair and a plate and the feast began. Appam Rice flour pancakes, spicy vegetable kurma stew, flatbread, curried potatoes and for desert Bengka Ubi Kayu a sweet tapioca cake. 

After the delicious meal, I was given recipes and tips on how to recreate the dishes myself, but I know it won't come out the same... 

After years of hunting for Indian food in Israel, it's nice that sometimes Indian food finds me. 

Thanks T, 

നന്ദി! 

Fidel and Vancouver

Fidel Castro died last night in Cuba.
People in Cuba will be mourning him for nine whole days while Cuban immigrants and refugees in Miami celebrate his death. The revolutionary's death has nothing to do with Indian food, but it did make me think about a meal I shared at a little Indian place in Vancouver last fall.

Last year I was visiting Washington state for a wedding. I flew across the world to attend what I knew was going to be a beautiful event and had a few days to explore the area after the wedding celebrations were over. Since I like crossing a border whenever possible, I chose to visit Vancouver which was just a couple of hours away from where I was staying. Traveling alone, a youth hostel seemed like the way to go and I ended up in a SameSun hostel in a good location of town. My day pack and myself found ourselves in a hip, young hostel, taking the last top bunk bed in a tight room of eight woman. Although it took me a while to convince myself to climb the ladder up to bed, it ended up as one of the most comfortable beds I've slept in while traveling! One of the perks at this particular hostel was free breakfast and daily organized tours of the area. During breakfast things already seemed a bit brighter and I decided to join the tour to Vancouver Island.
About ten of us set out that morning, the weather was beautiful as is the city. Everyone was nice, but it didn't take long for me to connect to a couple, about my age, who were traveling across the west coast for their honeymoon. They had been to many places I was planning on going so we had that in common too. The two of them set out from Miami and had been traveling for about two months. After the tour, we went to grab lunch at Crave India, the Indian place across from the hostel.


As we came in, the young man at the counter was busy chasing out a drunk who didn't want to pay or leave and was cursing up a storm. Once that was done, he was very helpful and nice. At this small, family run restaurant, you can get good food, enough vegetarian options and really delicious Naan at a fair price for travelers. We enjoyed a good meal, and good company.

Once we settled in, they told me about their recent wedding which they had planned for over a year.
The woman (let's call her Karen) shared her experience meeting the man's (let's call him Francisco) large Cuban family, getting used to their food and culture. They told me stories of how his family crossed the border to the United States, fleeing Cuba to find a better future. I learned about the "wet foot, dry foot" immigration and about the different ways people came from Cuba to America.
Francisco was very connected to his culture and heritage and was happy to share his families stories with me.

Tonight, when the world is talking about Fidel Castro's Cuba, my mind wanders to the small Indian restaurant in Vancouver and a young Miami couple on their honeymoon. What side of the border do they find themselves on and are they mourning or celebrating.

When you Wish upon a Star (in Beersheva)

Date: Aug. 11 2016
Name: Little India
Address: 15 Ringelblum, Beer Sheva 

Hello loyal readers! It's been a while - although I'm sure there has been Indian food in the intermittent years (!!), we've probably been too busy to share our witty and humorous culinary observations. This is our blog's third review of Little India, which is still going strong (the restaurant definitely so, the blog questionably so). The restaurant now occupies the entire deck and features both low-table and table-and-chair seating arrangements. The menu has pretty much stayed the same, but a while back they got rid of the lunch buffet. 

When we started this blog, R and I imagined that we'd become experts in Indian food. Culinary fanatics, highlighting the nuanced use of green cardamom, suggesting recipes for homemade paneer, and being asked to review Indian food world-wide (or at least Israel-wide). 

Alas - not only do we struggle to maintain this blog, but we have also fallen short of becoming world-renown foodies. We have come to accept that our blog is more about the journey, the story, the people  - and less about the actual food (although we know a killer samosa when we taste it, and will call out frozen vegetables wherever they may lurk).

Journeys can be divided into two types: those with a destination and those without. Most tangible journeys are of the former variety. You walk out your front door, and arrive at school. You board an airplane and arrive in Mongolia. You weave your way through town, crossing errands off your list. 

The latter journeys are much more interesting. Going without knowing where you will end up. Opening yourself to adventures, submerging yourself in the experience, accepting the flow and submitting to it. Going for the sake of going. Being for the sake of being. Growing into your role within the journey, negotiating the fine balance between personal space and that which is shared. 

Such a journey led me to share this amazing meal with an amazing person (two in fact, but one was just along for the destination-oriented ride). Here's to good food, good times, and journey-worthy companions. 

One, Two, or Three?

Date: July 3, 2014
Name: Namaste
Address: 10 HaTayelet, Mei Ami Beach, Ashdod

Life has taken us many places, but yet to Ashdod. The ladies are busy with numbers, picking one, a one, the one. R has chosen, while D is facing an impossible (and potentially hypothetical) choice: one, two or three?

This blog-post is dedicated to No. 3, which you might think would be indicative of success. Read on.

Curiously, it was not my idea to visit Namaste. I hadn't even realized there was Indian food in Ashdod. In fact, I hadn't realized Ashdod had more than a central bus station, Frenchies, and beach (and jellyfish).

From the outside, Namaste looked promising: the entire complex feels like it was transplanted from India (see pictures). The menu wasn't extremely extensive, but covered a lot. No. 3 preferred vegetarian, and D played along. We decided to share samosas, vegetable curry, and a rice dish with vegetables. We sat down, and I managed to drop my knife on the floor.

Meanwhile, they brought us papadum and delicious chutneys (mint-cilantro, tamarind, and a delicious pickled lemon). The samosas were good - the dough slightly thicker than usual, but fragrant and tasty. Luckily, I didn't need a knife to eat them.

Our main course was delivered half-way through the samosas - a bit too soon. Still waiting for a new knife. The vegetable curry was ... there is no other way to put it: the ultimate culinary transgression. I'm not even going into the (alleged) curry sauce, which was dark, but not even vaguely resembling curry as we know it. Brace yourself: the vegetables were green beans, corn, peas, and carrots. Yes, yes, frozen vegetables. In Israel, in the summer. There is no lack of fresh vegetables in our world - in fact, the menu promised garden veggies, hinting at something fresh and seasonal.

The waitress had said we could share the rice dish, and it was priced accordingly. This suggests that she is used to diners leaving the restaurant hungry. D is, by no means, a big eater. The rice was definitely not enough for two diners. It featured rice (duh), vegetables (see above), a few raisins, and cashews. The seasoning was far from anything noteworthy. D found herself picking out the raisins and dousing the food in chutneys (not necessarily in that order).

To summarize the evening: The beach was lovely (even with jellyfish) and I finished my wonderful book. And I managed two solid naps on the bus ride. Let's leave it at that.

And the knife....? D got up, and swiped a new knife from another table.

Lassi and Tents and Rain, Oh My!

Date: Oct. 31, 2013
Name: Little India
Address: 15 Ringelblum, Beer Sheva 

While R and I work extremely hard to maintain this blog (and the others), the other half of our Quartet does not always prioritize our culinary adventures. Once in a while it works out... This time around, we were heading towards an amazing vacation. To celebrate N's 32nd (while denying D's 32nd and R's impending 32nd) we decided to head down south. For years, N has wanted to stay at a particular desert tent, while D is generally in love with the Makhtesh Ramon (and rocks).

We left Thursday afternoon, to maximize our time down south, and drove through Be'er Sheva. Of course, we couldn't pass up the opportunity to stop for some Indian nosh. The other M met us, and we dined on samosas and split a few other dishes. Everything was delicious - and we even had leftovers. Stuffed, we headed back on the road to beautiful, quiet Mitzpe Ramon. 

While the vacation started out on a delicious note, it is worth sharing some experiences from the rest of our adventure. Our Friday hike took us into a sand storm, followed by rain and lightening, which all somehow cleared up by the time we returned to the car. On Saturday we couldn't find a flood, but did end up in a second rainstorm. Soaked almost to the bone, by the time we returned there was a humongous rainbow across the sky. This is D's attempt at taking a panoramic picture, featuring the rainbow (L) and sunset (R). 

Goodbye, Ichikidana

Date: Sept. 27, 2013
Name: Ichikidana
Address:  Mahane Yehuda, Jerusalem 

Featured on this blog before, Ichikidana was a Jerusalem gem. Decently priced, varied  menus, vegan/vegetarian, and delicious. A few months back, I'd interviewed the owner, Lehava, for a pilot radio story about Jerusalem eateries who serve kosher food, yet refuse to pay the rabbinate for a certificate. 

At that time, Lehava had told me she was closing, but swore me to silence. Rent had become too much, and she preferred to continue cooking as a catering service. She hadn't given me an exact date. One warm Friday, R and I spontaneously decided to head over for lunch. Lo and behold, a sign announced it was their last day. 

We had samosas and shared some deliciousness. Our spontaneous lunch meant no camera, but believe us, the food was amazing. We wish Lehava the best of luck in all her future endeavors, culinary and otherwise!  

Food Truck Makes Aliya

Date: July 18, 2013
Name: Food Truck (Season of Culture)
Address:  Mahane Yehuda, Jerusalem 

Life in Jerusalem keeps getting better..... The summer is chock full of cultural events, some reoccurring and some one-time events. This summer featured an import of sorts - a food truck. A common sight in many American cities, but not very common in this neck of the woods. Even the more third-world version, street food, doesn't really exist here - although we have dozens of felafel stands, these are established institutions cooking in (hopefully) clean, supervised kitchens. 

The Jerusalem Season of Culture keeps the surprises coming, and this last summer a truck was revamped into a diner on wheels. It made the rounds, stopping at playgrounds, public parks, and different neighborhoods, each time offering a simple dish. The truck offered non-dairy and/or meat, both kosher and halal, served by a local celebrity - all at very low cost (25 NIS), drink included.

One of the first nights, T and I went out to taste Indian food. The dish was simple but tasteful. Masala dosa topped with potatoes. Yum. The lighting, on the other hand, left much to be desired, so the picture isn't that great.