WHY Indian Food ?

[crazyme5kids]

Oh I love Indian food and love the smell of curry! Can anyone tell me which cruise lines tend to feature greater varieties of different ethnic food (Indian, Afghan, South American, Greek, etc....)? Are there any ethnic food cruises?

 

Most Italian families I knew/know here in the USA didn't or don't have a second kitchen to cook gravy/sauce all day, unless it is in a home that has a separate apartment for grandma and grandpa. In fact, that holds true for most of the different ethnic groups I know.

 

Generally speaking, when you cook at home or even go out to a restaurant food smells linger, and often cling to your clothes.

[Chitown12562]

First let me say that I have not read every post here. That said maybe I can clear up a few things.

 

Does Indian food smell bad? Yes, no, and maybe. Many Indian recipes call for roasting the herbs and spices first to bring out their flavor. While many people are used to the smell of garlic as it is being lightly sautéed in oil the smell of coriander, cummin and other herbs used in Indian cooking can be quite strong. Even onions can be dangerous, because if you stand over the pot while they are sautéing you will smell like onions. So when you go to an Indian families home you may smell the strong aromas that come from cooking Indian food.

 

In a resturant or on a ship the food is cooked in a separate and well ventilated room. So the food in the buffet will not, or should not smell as pungent and the herbs. Why not? Well, cook some garlic lightly in oil and you smell it. Mix it with the rest of you recipe and you can't smell it as much.

 

But maybe you can smell it. Some folks are more sensitive to smells and tastes than others. It can well be that to them it is very strong. This is similar to folks who can't stand cilantro. They don't like it, it's nasty to them, case closed.

 

In the end we are all right. What is good or bad to us is what it is and no one is wrong.

 

For me, Indian food is delishious and I love that it's offered at the buffet everyday when I cruise. But I can not cook it at home as roasting the herb leaves a very strong aroma that lingers in everything.

Edited February 20, 2014 by Chitown12562

[jawas]

Yummy, yummy in my tummy! The stronger the smell, the better the food!!! Indian, Italian, Vietnamese, Thai, Mediterranean, Afghani, bring it on!!!!! LOL!! :D Variety is the spice of life! Always MORE than enough other food on a cruise ship if you don't like one thing :D

[whataboutport]

First let me say that I have not read every post here. That said maybe I can clear up a few things.

 

Does Indian food smell bad? Yes, no, and maybe. Many Indian recipes call for roasting the herbs and spices first to bring out their flavor. While many people are used to the smell of garlic as it is being lightly sautéed in oil the smell of coriander, cummin and other herbs used in Indian cooking can be quite strong. Even onions can be dangerous, because if you stand over the pot while they are sautéing you will smell like onions. So when you go to an Indian families home you may smell the strong aromas that come from cooking Indian food.

 

In a resturant or on a ship the food is cooked in a separate and well ventilated room. So the food in the buffet will not, or should not smell as pungent and the herbs. Why not? Well, cook some garlic lightly in oil and you smell it. Mix it with the rest of you recipe and you can't smell it as much.

 

But maybe you can smell it. Some folks are more sensitive to smells and tastes than others. It can well be that to them it is very strong. This is similar to folks who can't stand cilantro. They don't like it, it's nasty to them, case closed.

 

In the end we are all right. What is good or bad to us is what it is and no one is wrong.

 

For me, Indian food is delishious and I love that it's offered at the buffet everyday when I cruise. But I can not cook it at home as roasting the herb leaves a very strong aroma that lingers in everything.

 

Very interesting you bring up cilantro. I am one of those who hate it. People say I must think it tastes like soap,but alas I have never eaten soap so I do to know. I am half Chinese and Taiwanese and we have a lot of dishes that have lots of cilantro; my bf is Vietnamese and of course a lot of cilantro is always on a bowl of pho among other dishes. I don't like cilantro but I don't say every cuisine that uses cilantro is nasty. That is the difference. For the record, I love Indian food..

[capncarp]

As an unpleasant side comment, I have found a strong correlation of the smell of cilantro to the stench of the now-invasive stink bugs that are pestering North America. Not that I hate cilantro, but the resemblance _is_ unsettling.:eek:

[makeda]

there are lots of choices on the buffet, you don't have to eat the Indian food (which I love)!

[30038599]

Last November my DH and I were on Carnival Breeze and there were an outdoor Indian station. Most days we ate there. Really delicious Indian food. Everything was very fresh especially the naan. Nice touch was the fresh cuncumber sticks. Spoke to other cruisers and all loved the Indian food. :

[framboesa]

I love to eat diferent kind of food:indian, mexican,chinese,italian, american...I'm so happy when I find different kind of food and not only the usual food :D

 

BTW loved the indian food on Carnival Breeze!

[Flatbush Flyer]

Sounds like some folks need to buy a Zephyr Typhoon range hood if they don't want lingering smells in their kitchen. Oh so powerful yet quiet and made right here in California.

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Forums

[avaross09]

Just because it tastes different and has variety of flavors and a lot of spices, which is not available in most of the food made in abroad as people in our country like to eat less spicy and specially boiled food.

[capncarp]

Just to be mischevious, I emailed McDonald's corporate offices to ask why the items available to customers in the Mumbai and other Indian McDonalds restaurants (McPaneer Royale, McAloo Tikka Royale, and others) could not be made available, even as a limted-tim offer, to American customers.:) Many are vegetarian and would appeal to a growing US marketshare. :D I got a wishywashy reply that politely told me to go pound sand.:(

[raftingalong]

We are cruising HAL for the first time soon. Does anyone know if they serve Indian food upon request in the MDR?

[capncarp]

I checked the HAL website: the Vegetarian menu offers a few Indian-ish items (one of which offered raita as a side-dish), but there didn't seem to be a great provision of them. :(

Anyone who has cruised HAL recently provide any insights here?

[raftingalong]

Thanks capncarp. I'm excited to try HAL's veg and Indian options, and will try to remember to report back with an update when we get back from the cruise!

[TBone2K]

Just to be mischevious, I emailed McDonald's corporate offices to ask why the items available to customers in the Mumbai and other Indian McDonalds restaurants (McPaneer Royale, McAloo Tikka Royale, and others) could not be made available, even as a limted-tim offer, to American customers.:) Many are vegetarian and would appeal to a growing US marketshare. :D I got a wishywashy reply that politely told me to go pound sand.:(

 

Funny you post that. One of the shows on the "loop" of TV programming on RC was a show about fast food in other countries. Makes me want to go to those places just to try them.

 

One of the reasons they might not offer some of those things here is that in order to meet regulations, they have to have a separate "vegetarian" prep area. So McDs here don't have the space.

[AnAppleInParadise]

i was on the dream last year and they had this indian buffet..oh my god SO good way better than the normal lunch buffet..im going on the victory in march i hope they started serving it there also! i can understand how it can take a certain palate to eat it tho, if you have never had it start out with something easy like chicken tikki masala.

 

Oh, my gosh. I just got off the Norwegian Gem. The Indian food was to die for. I've been on Carnival and never had them offer it so I don't know how they do it. Every day, in a small area designated Asian (on the Gem), they changed it up every day, usually two types of rice, and one or two meats, then whatever curry ? sauces with vegetables or chick peas or whatever amazing tasting spices they use. Sometimes yellow, sometimes red, some spicier than others, but if you mixed it in with the rice, I have no words. I can't remember the names of any of it because I have no reference base. The bread was called Roti, and it tasted like a thick homemade tortilla. The first time I tasted any of Norwegian's Indian fare was on my first cruise on the Pearl. I discovered the Chicken Tikka and was unable to stop eating even though it was late at night. I understand that NCL doesn't make that any more, but everything else is amazing. On this trip, I even passed up other amazing dishes in the "regular" section to eat the Indian food. I have to say, out of five cruises, the Gem outdid all of them when it came to the food selections, of all kinds, not just Indian. So much to choose from, if you want to skip the Indian food, so many choices. And the desserts. And the eight varieties of ice cream and the chocolate fountain and the pound and banana cake balls. Now I am home and I will lose the weight I gained because I was spoiled on The Gem. Well done, again, NCL.

[whataboutport]

I wish the cruise lines would do different types of Indian foods other than curries, masalas, kormas, etc. I love Indian food and recently went to an Indian culture and food fest, OMG! There is so much more to Indian food I haven't even had the tip of the iceberg! It's so easy to try something new on a cruise ship, so I hope they would make other dishes. My new fave dish is actually a snack, chaat papri. Pretty much Indian "nachos" and so healthy!

 

So again I must say, people who think Indian food is "nasty" hasn't even tried more than one or two bites I'll bet! Or they just look at it and deem it nasty.

Edited June 17, 2014 by whataboutport

[capncarp]

Oh, my gosh. I just got off the Norwegian Gem. The Indian food was to die for. <SNIP> Every day, in a small area designated Asian (on the Gem), they changed it up every day, usually two types of rice, and one or two meats, then whatever curry ? sauces with vegetables or chick peas or whatever amazing tasting spices they use. Sometimes yellow, sometimes red, some spicier than others, but if you mixed it in with the rice, I have no words. I can't remember the names of any of it because I have no reference base.

 

Apple, I love to see someone discovering a new vista of experience like you with the Indian dishes you encountered! Now you have to study some more to get the inside scoop on how they produce those delightful flavors. Start looking online! Get thee to an Indian grocery store!:)

 

And Whataboutport is right on the topic of Indian "snacks"--dozens of different ones in numerous shapes, sizes, spicing styles--and we Americans thought we were hot stuff because we developed cheese puffs and tortilla chips! They were frying salty snacks ages before the West thought of it. And thank goodness for that!:D

[capncarp]

Apple,

I don't know how close/far you are from Indianapolis or Columbus, IN, but here're a couple of Indian groceries you might try, courtesy of the internet:

International Bazaar, 4225 Lafayette Rd, Indianapolis, IN 46254 (317) 299-4628 --or--

 

Swagat indian grocery, 9520 Haver Way, Indianapolis, IN 46240 (317) 846-1700 --or--

 

Srt International Bazaar, 1609 Cottage Ave, Columbus, IN 47201 (812) 372-1744

[Siora7777]

I hate Indian food, yuck is right. I'm with the OP. Wish there was more variety. Butter chicken or anything like it is not good. I grew up in a Thai household, way better food then Indian. Anything but Indian. Most were meat Indian dishes on my last cruise, the smell was making me sick.

[capncarp]

Wish there was more variety. Butter chicken or anything like it is not good. I grew up in a Thai household, way better food then Indian. Anything but Indian.

 

Can you suggest some Thai dishes that would adequately represent the cuisine that could be prepared in a cruise environment?

[CruiseCrazyCouple0611]

someone recently asked John Heald the same question. Why so many Indian dishes? He said because most of the chefs are from India. Is anyone else afraid to try new things like this for fear you will spend your cruise in the bathroom? Yikes:eek:

[ducklite]

someone recently asked John Heald the same question. Why so many Indian dishes? He said because most of the chefs are from India. Is anyone else afraid to try new things like this for fear you will spend your cruise in the bathroom? Yikes:eek:

 

 

I can't stand the smell of curries, and think that visually most Indian food looks like what came out if my dog's backside this morning. The combination makes it not something the least bit appealing.

 

As far as the chef's being from India, in my opinion that's just a cop out.

[capncarp]

Is anyone else afraid to try new things like this for fear you will spend your cruise in the bathroom? Yikes:eek:

 

Like Norovirus? I'll pass, thanks!:p

[TBone2K]

Not referring to the last few posts specifically, but I sometimes wonder why I keep following this thread. The ignorance when it comes to other culture's cuisine is astounding.

 

Having said that I'm going to put my foot back in it and mention to the one poster above that I did see some Thai style foods on the buffet in the last couple of RC cruises. However the "Thai" label tends to get overused.