American type food?
Mar 27th, 2011, 10:32 AM
#1
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American type food?
I'm planning a trip to India in November. Trouble is my husband (who is my great travelling companion) cannot handle strong spices and is not crazy about curry. How easy is it to find American type food? We will be two weeks in Rajasthan.
Mar 27th, 2011, 01:55 PM
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There was a couple like you on my trip to India in 2001; husband couldn't stand any kind of "ethnic" food. He loaded up at the breakfast buffets and ate at McDonalds when he could find one! And I think they brought a lot of energy bars with them.
Mar 27th, 2011, 02:50 PM
#4
I love India, but am also not crazy about Indian food, as I really dislike paneer and the spice cumin . I do like bean dishes (Dal) and dosas and tandoori chicken, so I never had a problem finding good food. Most hotels serve English breakfasts, so i would eat a heavy breakfast and not need lunch. Many of the hotels will have western options for dinner.
You might try reading up on Indian food as there are actually a lot of local options that are not curry and not horribly spicy.
You might try reading up on Indian food as there are actually a lot of local options that are not curry and not horribly spicy.
Mar 27th, 2011, 04:23 PM
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Thank you for the suggestions. I use the local travel books for recommendations on accommodations and by far prefer to stay out of the big hotels but realize that's probably where we'll find more international cuisine.I love Indian food myself but it was either find some American/European food for him or find a new travelling partner.
Mar 27th, 2011, 06:39 PM
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Assuming you are going to the normal tourist-track parts of Rajathsan, you should not really have any problem finding non-Indian food. Chinese, general Asian and Western food is fairly readily available in those areas. (Italian is very popular.) If you do a trek or stay in very small villages, Western options will be a bit harder to find.
As mentioned, virtually all 3-4 star hotels will have a multi-cuisine resutant which will include Western options. You don't have to stay there, but can go to them for meals if you want to. (Most, but not all, will serve beef, but if not, chicken and seafood is readily available. McDonalds, while fairly common in large cities and often found at airports, does not serve beef. KFCs are more common.) Virtually any hotel or B&B will offer an English-type breakfast, so you can have that in your hotel.
Also, not all Indian food is spicy. Mughal court cuisine is based on Persian cooking, and is not spicy. "Dumpukth" or "dumppoked" food is an example of this (steamed in pots sealed with flour rims.) They use almonds, saffron and yobhurt as bases. It is creamy rather than spicy.
Don't forget the fabulous Indian breads available. Those are a meal in themselves. As mentioned, dal/lentil dishes are usually not spiced or are very mildly spiced. Rice is generally not spiced, althought it is sometimes mildly flavoured with saffron, and sometimes raisins and nuts are added. Yoghurt dishes and drinks are also a good option for someone who does not like spicy food.
If he has a sweet tooth, he may be in heaven, as the range of sweets available is quite mind-boggling. Fresh fruit is also a good choice, and there is lots of variety.
Finally, it is quite possible that your husband does not "like curry" becuase he has never acutally had true curry. He may have only had Americanized versions, which like much of Chinese American food, is different from what you will find in its country of origin. He may want to try some.
As mentioned, virtually all 3-4 star hotels will have a multi-cuisine resutant which will include Western options. You don't have to stay there, but can go to them for meals if you want to. (Most, but not all, will serve beef, but if not, chicken and seafood is readily available. McDonalds, while fairly common in large cities and often found at airports, does not serve beef. KFCs are more common.) Virtually any hotel or B&B will offer an English-type breakfast, so you can have that in your hotel.
Also, not all Indian food is spicy. Mughal court cuisine is based on Persian cooking, and is not spicy. "Dumpukth" or "dumppoked" food is an example of this (steamed in pots sealed with flour rims.) They use almonds, saffron and yobhurt as bases. It is creamy rather than spicy.
Don't forget the fabulous Indian breads available. Those are a meal in themselves. As mentioned, dal/lentil dishes are usually not spiced or are very mildly spiced. Rice is generally not spiced, althought it is sometimes mildly flavoured with saffron, and sometimes raisins and nuts are added. Yoghurt dishes and drinks are also a good option for someone who does not like spicy food.
If he has a sweet tooth, he may be in heaven, as the range of sweets available is quite mind-boggling. Fresh fruit is also a good choice, and there is lots of variety.
Finally, it is quite possible that your husband does not "like curry" becuase he has never acutally had true curry. He may have only had Americanized versions, which like much of Chinese American food, is different from what you will find in its country of origin. He may want to try some.
