When people move away from home for school, work, and where life takes them, they often leave behind countless childhood \u092c\u091a\u092a\u0928\u00a0(bachpan)\u00a0<\/i>comforts including the tastes \u0938\u094d\u0935\u093e\u0926\u00a0(swaad)<\/i>, aromas \u0959\u0941\u0936\u092c\u0942 \u00a0(khushboo)<\/i>, and flavors \u095b\u093e\u092f\u0915\u093e\u00a0(zaayka)<\/i> of a warm home-cooked meal (\u092d\u094b\u091c\u0928\u00a0bhojan <\/i>formal usage\/\u0916\u093e\u0928\u093e\u00a0khaana <\/i>common usage)<\/i>. These become lingering memories \u092f\u093e\u0926\u0947\u0902\u00a0(yaadein)<\/i>, dormant in the subconscious mind, and are teased awake by a stray sound–like mustard seeds \u0930\u093e\u0908\u00a0(rai)<\/i> popping in hot oil; the smell of spicy crisp \u092a\u093e\u092a\u095c\u00a0(papad)<\/i> being roasted over an open flame, or the satiating smell of a \u0930\u094b\u091f\u0940\u00a0(roti)\u00a0<\/i>baking on a hot griddle \u0924\u0935\u093e\u00a0(tavaa)<\/i>, then being flipped until it puffs over the flame.<\/p>\n
Indian food can be simple and satisfying or decadent and complex.There are as many varieties of Indian dishes as there are regions and traditions, However, the basic home-cooked Indian meal has more-or-less similar components everywhere in the country.<\/p>\n
The \u0925\u093e\u0932\u0940 (thali)<\/i>, literally meaning plate includes a lentil or legumes (also known as pulses in India) in the form of a soup or in a thin gravy. This is the ubiquitious \u0926\u093e\u0932\u00a0(daal). Daal<\/i>\u00a0is made with a variety of lentils, and eaten with cooked rice \u091a\u093e\u0935\u0932\u00a0(chaaval) <\/i>and a sauteed vegetable dish \u0938\u092c\u094d\u095b\u0940\u00a0(subzi). <\/i>Sometimes daal <\/i>is replaced with a gram flour based preparation called kadhi. <\/i>In a home, a thali <\/i>may include one or two subzis, roti, chaaval, dal and\/or kadhi, papad <\/i>and\u00a0<\/i>Indian pickles \u0905\u091a\u093e\u0930\u00a0(a-chaar). <\/i>A meal is often topped off with \u0926\u0939\u0940\u00a0(dahi)\u00a0<\/i>yogurt in some form–as buttermilk \u0932\u0938\u094d\u0938\u0940\/\u091b\u093e\u0938\u00a0(lassi or chhaas) <\/i>or just plain curds.<\/p>\n
If you order a thali <\/i>in a restaurant, you will most often see these dishes served in little stainless steel cups arranged along the inside rim of a large plate. Chaval <\/i>is usually piled in the center with a couple of rotis <\/i>and a papad <\/i>resting on top. Restaurants also usually include a dessert.<\/p>\n
When in doubt about what to eat, it is always safe to ask for daal-chaaval-roti-subzi, <\/i>or just daal-chaaval. <\/i>Piping hot \u0917\u0930\u094d\u092e\u093e-\u0917\u0930\u092e\u00a0(garamaa-garam) daal-chaaval <\/i>with a generous drizzle of clarified butter \u0918\u0940 (ghee)\u00a0<\/i>is sure to comfort any weary traveler.<\/p>\n Let’s listen to this conversation between two friends. Seema visits Meena and Meena invites her to a flavorful meal that reminds Seema of her childhood.<\/strong><\/p>\n Seema<\/b> (at her friend, Meena’s house): \u0915\u0948\u0938\u0940 \u0959\u0941\u0936\u094d\u092c\u0942 \u0906 \u0930\u0939\u0940 \u0939\u0948\u0964? \u092e\u0941\u091d\u0947 \u092d\u0942\u0915 \u0932\u0917 \u0930\u0939\u0940 \u0939\u0948\u0964\u00a0<\/b> Meena:\u00a0\u0917\u0930\u094d\u092e\u093e \u0917\u0930\u092e \u0915\u095d\u0940 \u091a\u093e\u0935\u0932, \u0930\u094b\u091f\u0940, \u0914\u0930 \u0906\u0932\u0942 \u0915\u0940 \u0938\u092c\u094d\u095b\u0940\u0964 \u00a0\u0906\u0913 \u0939\u092e\u093e\u0930\u0947 \u0938\u093e\u0925 \u0916\u093e\u0928\u093e \u0916\u093e\u0913\u0964<\/b> Seema (licking her fingers):\u00a0\u0924\u0941\u092e\u094d\u0939\u093e\u0930\u0947 \u0916\u093e\u0928\u0947 \u0915\u093e \u0938\u094d\u0935\u093e\u0926 \u0914\u0930 \u095b\u093e\u092f\u0915\u093e \u0915\u0941\u091b \u0914\u0930 \u0939\u0948 ! \u092c\u091a\u092a\u0928 \u0915\u0940 \u092f\u093e\u0926 \u0906 \u0917\u092f\u0940\u0964\u00a0<\/b> Meena:\u00a0\u0932\u0938\u094d\u0938\u0940 \u092a\u093f\u0913\u0917\u0940?<\/b> Seema:\u00a0\u092c\u0938 \u0928\u0939\u0940\u0902, \u0936\u0941\u0915\u094d\u0930\u093f\u092f\u093e\u0964 \u00a0\u092a\u0947\u091f \u092d\u0930 \u0917\u092f\u093e\u0964\u00a0<\/b> When people move away from home for school, work, and where life takes them, they often leave behind countless childhood \u092c\u091a\u092a\u0928\u00a0(bachpan)\u00a0comforts including the tastes \u0938\u094d\u0935\u093e\u0926\u00a0(swaad), aromas \u0959\u0941\u0936\u092c\u0942 \u00a0(khushboo), and flavors \u095b\u093e\u092f\u0915\u093e\u00a0(zaayka) of a warm home-cooked meal (\u092d\u094b\u091c\u0928\u00a0bhojan formal usage\/\u0916\u093e\u0928\u093e\u00a0khaana common usage). These become lingering memories \u092f\u093e\u0926\u0947\u0902\u00a0(yaadein), dormant in the subconscious mind, and are teased awake…<\/p>\n
\nConversation<\/b><\/span>\n
\nKaisi khushboo aa rahi hai? Mujhe bhook lag rahi hai.<\/i>
\n(Mmmm, what’s that aroma? I am really hungry.)<\/p>\n
\nGaramaa-garam kadhi-chaaval, roti aur aloo ki subzi.\u00a0<\/i>Aao hamaare saath khaana khaao.\u00a0<\/i>
\n(Piping hot kadhi-chaval,\u00a0<\/i>rotis, <\/i>and potato curry.<\/i>) Come, eat with us today.<\/p>\n
\nTumhaare khaane ka swaad aur zaayka kuch aur hai! Bachpan ki yaad aa gayi.<\/i>
\n(The taste and flavor of your cooking are something else. It reminded me of my childhood.)<\/p>\n
\nLassi peeogi?<\/i>
\n(Would you like some lassi<\/i>?)<\/p>\n
\nBas nahin, shukriya. Pate bhar gaya.\u00a0<\/i>
\n(No, thanks, my stomach is full.)<\/p>\n
\nConversation Vocabulary<\/b><\/span>\n\n\n
\n \u092c\u091a\u092a\u0928<\/td>\n bachpan<\/i><\/td>\n childhood<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n \n \u0938\u094d\u0935\u093e\u0926<\/td>\n swaad<\/i><\/td>\n taste<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n \n \u0916\u0941\u0936\u092c\u0942<\/td>\n khushboo<\/i><\/td>\n aroma<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n \n \u095b\u093e\u092f\u0915\u093e<\/td>\n zaayka<\/i><\/td>\n flavor<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n \n \u092d\u094b\u091c\u0928<\/td>\n bhojan<\/i><\/td>\n \u00a0meal (formal usage)<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n \n \u0916\u093e\u0928\u093e<\/td>\n khaana<\/i><\/td>\n meal (common usage)<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n \n \u092f\u093e\u0926\u0947\u0902<\/td>\n yaadein<\/i><\/td>\n memories<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n \n \u0930\u093e\u0908<\/td>\n rai<\/i><\/td>\n mustard seeds<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n \n \u092a\u093e\u092a\u095c<\/td>\n papad<\/i><\/td>\n thin, flat crispy rice\/lentil cakes<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n \n \u0930\u094b\u091f\u0940<\/td>\n roti<\/i><\/td>\n flatbread<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n \n \u0924\u0935\u093e<\/td>\n tavaa<\/i><\/td>\n griddle<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n \n \u0925\u093e\u0932\u0940<\/td>\n thali<\/i><\/td>\n plate (literal meaning)<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n \n \u0926\u093e\u0932<\/td>\n daal<\/i><\/td>\n lentil soup<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n \n \u091a\u093e\u0935\u0932<\/td>\n chaaval<\/i><\/td>\n rice<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n \n \u0938\u092c\u094d\u095b\u0940<\/td>\n subzi<\/i><\/td>\n sauteed vegetable dish<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n \n \u0915\u095d\u0940<\/td>\n kadhi<\/i><\/td>\n gram-flour based gravy\/soup-like dish<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n \n \u0905\u091a\u093e\u0930<\/td>\n a-chaar <\/i><\/td>\n spicy Indian pickles; eaten as a condiment<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n \n \u0926\u0939\u0940<\/td>\n dahi<\/i><\/td>\n yogurt<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n \n \u0932\u0938\u094d\u0938\u0940 \/\u091b\u093e\u0938<\/td>\n lassi or chhaas<\/i><\/td>\n churned buttermilk<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n \n \u0917\u0930\u094d\u092e\u093e – \u0917\u0930\u092e<\/td>\n garamaa-garam<\/i><\/td>\n piping hot<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n \n \u0918\u0940<\/td>\n ghee<\/i><\/td>\n clarified butter<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n \n \u092d\u0942\u0915 \u0932\u0917 \u0930\u0939\u0940 \u0939\u0948<\/td>\n \u00a0bhook lag rahi hai<\/i><\/td>\n I am feeling hungry<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n \n \u092d\u0942\u0915<\/td>\n bhook<\/i><\/td>\n hunger<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n \n \u0924\u0941\u092e\u094d\u0939\u093e\u0930\u0947<\/td>\n tumhaare<\/i><\/td>\n your (informal)<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n \n \u0915\u0941\u091b \u0914\u0930 \u0939\u0948<\/td>\n kuch aur hai<\/i><\/td>\n is something else<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n \n \u0906\u0932\u0942 \u0915\u0940 \u0938\u092c\u094d\u095b\u0940<\/td>\n aloo ki subzi<\/i><\/td>\n potato curry<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n \n \u092f\u093e\u0926 \u0906 \u0917\u092f\u0940<\/td>\n yaad\u00a0<\/i>aa gayi<\/i><\/td>\n have remembered (literally, memory has come)<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n \n \u092f\u093e\u0926<\/td>\n yaad<\/i><\/td>\n memory<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n \n \u092c\u0938<\/td>\n bas<\/i><\/td>\n enough<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n \n \u092a\u0947\u091f \u092d\u0930 \u0917\u092f\u093e<\/td>\n pate bhar gaya<\/td>\n stomach has filled up\/is full (bharna = <\/b>to fill up)<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n \n \u092a\u0947\u091f<\/td>\n pate<\/i><\/td>\n stomach<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"