Our food situation has been getting better as we find our way around the local offerings. We have learned how to make proper chutney, and explored some of the unfamiliar spices and vegetables. This information does not always come easy... we have to ask the cook what is needed and we don't always know the words for foods that aren't in America, so we have to go to the store and hope we get the right things. Also, new foods come in and out of season, including the sita phil (pictured) also known as a "custard apple", which has sweet, gooey insides.

We also got a blender (called a mixee here), which means that we have been having much better masalas. Instead of tomato and onion chunks floating around with the vegetables, we can have a thick, flavorful gravy. I also found out how to make a pancake/flatbread out of rice and lentils soaked overnight... basically use the mixee to grind them into flour, add water, and cook like pancakes. We also learned about roasted eggplant (cook it directly on the burner first), and how to make good tomato chutney (use a mortar and pestle, not the mixee).

Jackfruit has also shown up in the local market, and it makes an excellent curry. It looks a lot like pulled pork, and though not as good as slow cooked swine, is a nice dish. Between having a cook make us fresh food every night, and the amount of oil used to cook/fry things, I have put back most of the weight I lost. I still miss the variety of meats, but I will be going to Bombay later this week, and I have been told where to find bacon!