The Peace Principle: Thank you India!

Hi everyone! What an absolutely fantastic time I had in India! I have to say that this week has been the most challenging for me by far, but also the one in which I felt the most culturally immersed! Because of the difficulty of these recipes and the sheer volume of ingredients needed for them, I was only able to make four of the original five I mentioned in my first post for this country. It was fun to make these recipes and the aromatics of each dish was incredible. I really admire how much this culture embraces spice and what the earth and nature have to offer. Indian food is truly a way to bring anyone into the culture of this country. Walking into the local Indian food store near where I live, I was a bit lost but absolutely mesmerized by all there was to buy and cook with. At some points in the trips to the store, I forgot I was in the U.S! Those from India who come over to this country bring with them their culture through their food which I was really able to see first hand this week. I give the people of India credit for how they prepare their food- it is sure tricky and my food wasn't always the best tasting. What I found refreshing though, is that the more I strayed from the recipes because I simply couldn't find the ingredients, the more Americanized they had to become. The more Americanized they became, the less tasty they were. I guess the best way to enjoy Indian food is to do so authentically, respecting their unique ingredients and their incredible cooking skills.I respect more than ever the food of India and how so very much goes into it. I feel much more educated now as far as ingredients of the world go as well. I will forever be grateful for the very kind people at the Indian food store who helped me find what I needed throughout the week. Their friendliness touched my heart. Thank you India for your food that shows the beauty of your culture and your harmony with nature and authenticity.