Snapshots of the Garden City:
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India and Pakistan. The food in South India, where I live, is different,
and even within South India, food varies considerably. Typical breakfast
foods here include masala dosa (thin pancakes filled with a mixture of
sauted potatoes, onions, and spices) and idlis (bland white steamed cakes
served with a spicy chutney made largely of coriander, which we know as
celantro). Other meals include sambar or rasam (both are broth with
vegetables, sambar is thicker because it also includes dhal, or lentils);
several vegetable, meat, or paneer (a type of cheese) dishes cooked with
spices, either dry or with sauce; roti (a generic word for any flat, round
bread including naan, chappatis, and pooris); and the ubiquitous rice and
curd (yogurt). Sweets are much loved and extremely varied. I'm avoiding the
word "curry" because everyone has a different idea of what a "curry" is,
and the word isn't used as loosely as it is among Americans. Where I work, there is a cafeteria on each floor and the food is catered. For the grand sum of rs.200 per month (that's approximately $4.00), we are provided with lunch. Here the food is vegetarian, but contrary to my expectations, I've encountered just as many non-vegetarians as vegetarians. Unfortunately, one thing I've discovered in my search for the universal principles of mankind: cafeteria food, wherever you find it, isn't very good. Continued on page 9
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