~*March Into New Beginnings*~

What do sweet, sour, tang and bitter flavors have in common?

Vermicelli Halwa, Achari Chayote Curry, Tangy Tomato Chutney with Mini Idlis, Karela Curry

We're marching into Spring with a variety of exciting, new dishes! We're fortunate to celebrate two wonderfully colorful holidays that truly represent the spirit of Spring this month.
Of course, we're talking about Holi and Ugadi. Holi is a Spring festival and it's celebrated with lots of color. The Ugadi festival celebrates the start of a new year or beginning. If you think about it, Spring is a new beginning. And during Ugadi, we prepare this dish called Ugadi Pachadi and the most common ingredients found in this dish are dry Neem flowers, banana and brown sugar, green mango and tamarind juice. These ingredients were picked specifically because of their flavors, which relate to the emotions of life. We took it one step further and created dishes that exemplify each of these flavors. 

A Tasty Memory - Feast Fit For A King

My foodie adventures always cheer me up whenever I'm down about something. One of my most tastiest travel memories was at Choki Dhani in Jaipur last year. Choki Dhani is a re-creation of an authentic Rajasthani village filled with food, entertainment and wonder. The dining hall was decorated with Rajasthani art and hangings. Servers dressed in the traditional garb served a variety of curries (e.g. kofta, dal, korma), flat breads (e.g. naan, roti, paratha), Khichdi, Kadhi, pakora, freshly churned butter, salad and desserts (e.g. sooji halwa, laddu, kheer).

Servers passed by and refilled any dish that was almost empty. My family and I felt like we got the royal treatment when we ate a feast fit for a King. We left the hall with big smiles and bulging stomachs. It was truly a culinary delight. And if that wasn't enough, outside the hall there was a vendor selling a freshly brewed Rabri, sweet and condensed milk based dessert.

 It was a cool and refreshing way to end the night!

Rich food plus great company equals a magical night! I would definitely recommend anyone traveling to Jaipur to visit this place for a night of fun and foodie delight. For more eye candy, check out my post about my Jaipur trip.

Be sure to visit WanderFood Wednesdays for more tasty adventures and add your own.