[Warning: If you're not hungry yet, you will be by the end of this post! Read through, and leave a comment with your thoughts!]
Just before we left Udaipur, Earl and I talked about taking a cooking class. We looked into it a little, got a quote from a cooking school (which, to be honest shocked us a little) and then made the decision that even though cooking classes don’t come cheap, it would be a shame to leave India without having done one. And then we basically forgot about that conversation, as we had to rush to catch our train to Jodhpur.
So it’s funny that we passed by a cooking school in Jodhpur three or more times and didn’t even notice. We even bought lotion and soap at the little shop they had in front of their place. It was only after the owners, Rekha and Anil, invited us in for tea and suggested the idea, that we realized that we’d seen signs for a cooking school out front! Because we liked them so much, we enthusiastically agreed to come for their class at 1pm the next day.
By the time we arrived, we were starving in anticipation. Rekha greeted us with an easy potato sandwich recipe to tide us over until we learned a few other dishes.
Her kitchen was really fun. She had had her staple spice bowls, and I couldn’t resist taking a photo of all that colour.
Together, we learned to make biryani.
Rekha decorated it in the end by garnishing it with fresh coriander and pomegranate. And, we are happy to report, it was delicious!
For our first dessert, Anil taught us how to make the local specialty, makhaniya (saffron) lassi. Only this lassi turned out to be much more deluxe (and delicious) than any we’d tasted yet!
And after our bellies really couldn’t hold much more, we started cooking again. First a quick dal fry…
… And then we made the doughs for a variety of breads: chapati, naan, paratha, and a Gujarati (thick) chapati. We each got a turn to make a dough, and also to bake them!
In true Indian style, we couldn’t enjoy (our second) lunch with only one dish, so we whipped up a mutter paneer (Indian curry with peas and cheese), and dug in again!
Rehka’s two daughters got in on the fun too!
We finished off our day with another dessert, this one like doughnut squares, though we were too full to eat any more, and had to take it to go!
As above, we’ll mention again that we’re looking for a little “audience participation” here… Please leave a comment below!
As a parting thought, and to perhaps stir your creative juices (so you’ll comment), we leave you with a photo of the super-pretty Gujarati chapati that Rekha made. Yum!
If you’re ever in Jodhpur, be sure to check out Spice Paradise and meet Anil and Rekha. Rekha will be happy to make you a homemade cup of true masala chai and if you have time, attend her cooking class! It’s been of our best days of our trip!
عرض خريطة بحجم أكبر
Ok. Now you have done it. What kind of person would post this, knowing full well that it would make my dinner tonight pale in comparison. You are now fully obliged (and invited) to our home to prepare said dishes in all of their splendor.
Hurry home, I am starving!!!!
All the best,
Jan
Since all of our stuff is at Public Storage, when we return to Vancouver, we will not only be happy to make come and make dinner but to stay the night too!
That seems like fair compensation for a meal of gastronomic proportions such as the one you enjoyed and prepared.
Looking forward to it.
Jan and Victoria
so I saw the new post while I was at the end of my day at the office, but because I have to go to a Toast Masters meeting tonight I was going to eat my “carried along” dinner. I had not had enough time throughout the week to prepare something special so I had to quickly make myself something. I choose to just cook some frozen peas, added some spices like onion (no time for fresh), pepper and some sea salt and a bouillon cube. I then used my blender to liquefy all and added some more water to make it a soup. I had put it in a warmed up Thermos as to keep it warm. As I was going to read your blog I had just started my soup and had found out that by now (about 10 hours after putting it into the Thermos) my soup was cold and here I was reading and seeing pictures of all the scrumptious dishes and, yes, be jealous.
These foods did the trick to make me feel totally left out and hungry (even though I do like my soup even if it is cold). Did you look at the colours and the wonderful veggies in the beginning?
So I urge you both to write down the exact instructions on how to prepare them and not to rely on your memory. For if you are een kind van haar moeder, you will forget and I will be the one to be missing out. I would love you to pass on what you have learned there and not only let us taste it when you make it but also I might like to make it myself.
What a great idea to take a cooking class, for you really get into the life of the people.
Thanks for sharing and I am looking forward to more (food, info and pictures), please share the “wealth”
Not to worry! We were given a booklet with all the recipes. We can’t guarantee they will as pretty but we will try. Charlotte has already tried the chapattis once and they were pretty good!
We really enjoyed our day there and enjoyed posting the pics just as much!
Oh I’m in, and we have a vacant basement suite…looks delicious! Sounds like you’re having a fabulous time on your world tour. We really miss seeing you here at Career Services.
Oh what fun!!!! I love that you got to make all the different types of dough! Cooking classes are such a fantastic way to experience culture…… and get stuffed as well. Looks like you had a great time and created some great memories as well. Hmmmm now I want Indian cusine!