Indian Cuisine Preference

[opebo]

I realize there are many, many regional variations, but there seems to be a consensus that the North and the South are broad groupings.  If you want to get into anything more specific, vote 'other' and elucidate.

[opebo]

I love both, but prefer South Indian overall. 

[opebo]

It is one of the few categories of food that I completely do not enjoy

My parents would have agreed with you.  And, oddly enough so would a majority of Thais.

[opebo]

Four responses?  That's all I get??

[opebo]

South is terrible. Everything that's good is either North or British.

Narrow taste there.

For those of you who don't know the difference, get out there and find out! Where is Lewis Trondheim when he is needed?

[opebo]

...I don't know how prevalent South Indian specific restaurants are outside California, none in Nashville at least.

There was at least one in St. Louis, used to go there all the time.  But for sure, North-Indian is a lot more common around the country.

Opebo, it's amusing that the Thais don't like Indian food. There are a lot of similarities, at least the stuff that is popular in America. Definitely with South Indian food there are similarities with the liberal use of coconut in their food. I guess they are still sensitive about the Cholas colonizing them, eh?

No, its just that they think Indians have atrocious B.O., and that it may at least partially come from their food, which Thais also say 'mehn mack!!' (stinks badly).  The Thai food you get in the US is almost always the more 'Indianized' style dishes - in practice their cuisine is quite different from Indian - hotter but less 'heavily' spiced if you see what I mean - more of a 'fresh' taste, intense but not 'lasting', unlike Indian which you may be burping up or farting out for a few hours, and for sure exuding from your pores for a couple days.

For example, when I used to constantly eat Indian food in the US, and go visit the family, I usually arrived home after my father had gone to bed.  The next day he said he always knew whether I was home because he could smell Indian food (he hated Indian food of course, like most bedrock middle-americans).

[opebo]

Opebo, it's amusing that the Thais don't like Indian food. There are a lot of similarities, at least the stuff that is popular in America. Definitely with South Indian food there are similarities with the liberal use of coconut in their food.

Coconut, rice and lots of chili. And some deep fried meatless snacks. The Thai "don't like Indian food"? Well duh, they've been raised on an exclusively South Indian diet and would like a change when they go eating out.

No Lewis, its quite different.  The Indian influence in Thai cooking is not as big as you may think.  For example in most regions of the country coconut milk is rarely used.  Keep in mind what you get in the West is only a small part which suits Westerners palates better.

Thai food is definitely a lot simpler and less heavy.  Thais simply can't digest Indian food without a lot of complaints, and it does 'stink' by their standards.

[opebo]

Of course it's not identical. I doubt the Thais have all the ten-thousand-varieties-of-lentils stuff.

No, they don't like lentils much at all.  They like meat.

I daresay I have consumed more South Indian food than anyone on this forum, sans Sbane. And maybe Lewis?

Why have you consumed so much South Indian food?  Are you an Indian?

[opebo]

Indian food that you eat at restaurants isn't really what people eat.  They are usually much more loaded with fats, spices (though not necessarily hotter)and meats than what people eat. It's usually roti, dal and some vegetables. In Bengal usually some fish. Same with south Indian food. They usually don't eat dosas and uthapams at home. And lol at the Thais complaining about BO. The smelliest flight I have been on was one from Taipei to Bangkok full of a bunch of working class Thais. Yeah they have an inferiority complex.

Yeah, I know day-to-day fare is quite simple in India and that restaurant versions in the West (or Thailand) are not precisely analogous.  Alas for me I have never tried a uthapam, though I often eat dosas.

However, if you know actual Thais (middle class central Thais), I've never met anyone with less of an inferiority complex.   Also generally Thais are astoundingly clean and fresh smelling. 

[opebo]

What's really popular in the south is Sambar with rice, and Rasam in Tamil Nadu, both being different preparations of lentils (Dal).

I love Sambar but I always eat it with idli and/or vada, and the little sides of chutneys, never with rice.

[opebo]

To the very poor in the south, dinner is either food, or on a good day food with Sambar.

Food being rice. Yeah, I've heard it actually used as synonymous in English, and it's common enough in Dravidian languages apparently.

Yes here 'to eat' is 'kin caow' kin meaning 'take' and 'caow' meaning 'rice'.  To take rice.

I was reading up on African cuisine the other day, and I think most would agree it is not a celebrated cuisine.  I've only ever been to Madagascar, where they eat a lot of rice, but I couldn't imagine eating that chewy starch they apparently eat in most of Africa (fufu and so forth, made from manioc or plantain or whatever it is they use).  Rice based and bread/potatoes based cuisines sound good to me, but not that other stuff.

[opebo]

Yea here the word for 'food' ('ahan') is quite distinct from rice, but you say 'take rice' for eating.

I like that Ethiopian 'bread', and Ethiopian food generally, though most of the time when I eat it back home I do get a bit of a tippy tummy.

[opebo]

I'm currently sort of seeing an Indian girl.

Wow, I think that's the first time I've known a white guy who was 'seeing', even 'sort of', and Indian girl.  Do her parents know?  Or do you mean you just have a coffee with her between classes at the Starbucks? (though I would say that is already pretty shocking).

[opebo]

I think that's the first time I've known a white guy who was 'seeing', even 'sort of', and Indian girl.  Do her parents know?  Or do you mean you just have a coffee with her between classes at the Starbucks? (though I would say that is already pretty shocking).

Haha. Her parents are in India so I doubt they would know anything, no.

And, no, I don't mean having a coffee either...the 'sort of' is more in reference to the fact that I already have an open relationship and she's leaving the country in a month so it's not anything serious.

Astounding.  Your masculine allurements must be prodigious and overwhelming!  Well worth subsequent immolation.

[opebo]

Astounding.  Your masculine allurements must be prodigious and overwhelming!  Well worth subsequent immolation.

It's hardly astounding - I don't think my masculine allurements are anything to write home about. And I'm not sure what you mean by immolation either. Would that be me not buying prostitutes or something?

No, immolation means to be consumed in a fire - it is a common method in some cultures of dealing with daughterly errancies.

[opebo]

EDIT: I just realized that this might have been what you meant, i.e. worth it for her even if she gets burnt up afterwards. But, yeah, that wouldn't happen either.

Yes, I was formulating a pick-up line before I travel to the sub-continent - 'hey sweet stuff, my manly allurements are so prodigious and overwhelming you won't mind the inevitable subsequent immolation'.  (don't worry, I would keep it lighthearted by working my eyebrows up and down or winking broadly - perhaps both if she looks like a 'go-er')

[opebo]

I'm currently sort of seeing an Indian girl.

Wow, I think that's the first time I've known a white guy who was 'seeing', even 'sort of', and Indian girl.  Do her parents know?  Or do you mean you just have a coffee with her between classes at the Starbucks? (though I would say that is already pretty shocking).

Don't mean to resurrect this corpse of a thread... but the Comedy Goldmine directed me here and the bolded bit amused me. 

opebo, if you don't mind I'm going to start referring to Starbucks as "the Starbucks"

That is the correct form and practice, my dear protege, and soon all the kids will be doing it.  I thank you for your adept attention.