Zindagi Na Milegi Dobara

For only having a few posts, I have to say I am a bit blown away by the fact that I have a blog topic request. But seeing as this means that someone is actually reading what I'm writing, I am definitely happy to oblige.

So food. What to say about Indian food? Well what we have in the states doesn't compare at all. Here non-spicy doesn't even exist in the vocabulary and if you question a server about the spice content of the food, you either get a blank expression or the all encompassing head wobble that could mean anything. But that doesn't mean it's not delicious. In the south I have been eating a lot of Dal curry (which is different varieties of lentil curry) often accompanied by basmati rice or my favorite, parantha bread. Parantha is a bit thicker and grainier than naan which definitely fills me up. If not dal, chickpeas or chicken chutney are usually around. But if you really want to know the best of Andhra Pradesh, you eat Dosa. Dosa is basically a rice pancake or lentil pancake either stuffed with potatoes or vegetables or plain and served with chutney or curry on the side. Absolutely delicious and cheap. I recently bought some Dosa on the street for about 75 cents for a full meal.

Of course I have eaten my fair share of Subway since being here because there is one near my house but even Subway offers Chicken Tikka Masala or one with Paneer (a yummy Indian cheese, especially when served with a Spinach sauce) alongside of the usual turkey. And it's about $2 for a 6 inch. Yes! And sweets like Galab Jammun which are like donuts balls soaked in sugar syrup are absolutely delicious. But my favorite thing about Indian cuisine? Eating with my hands. Or more accurately, with my right hand. There is just something so liberating about not having to wait around for a fork or spoon. Okay, if you really want, most places offer silverware. But really, why bother?

On another cultural note, I went to my first Bollywood movie with my Indian friend and my American friend the other day(Zingadi Na Milegi Dobara). I mean, I have seen Bollywood movies before but seeing it on the big screen is an entirely different beast. Especially since I went to a movie that was in Hindi. With no subtitles. Okay so admitedly this might seem like a ridiculous idea but with my scant Hindi skills, my friend translating, and the snippets of English thrown in, I was able to follow along really well actually. And the fact that this movie was almost entirely shot in Spain was a definite plus. But the most unique part was the audience reaction. People love their Bollywood actors here, as evidenced by the huge billboards everywhere featuring stars advertising various products, and also by the screaming teenage girls falling over themselves every time Shahid Kapoor or Aamir Khan come on screen. The 2.5 hours actually flew by with a nice intermission and I definitely was dancing in my seat at one point.

In the meantime, I'm looking forward to some pizza tomorrow at our final orientation session for IDEX and then afterwards, a Bollywood movie marathon? I think Ji Ha!