A Taste of India… in CUENCA!

S’been awhile since I pecked a post on what-all social doings I’ve been enjoying here in my (still beloved!) Cuenca, Ecuador. Oh, there’s BOATLOADS of social events going on near-DAILY here: musical events galore, art exhibits, gringo theater, bridge clubs, craft classes, et al. But the truth is – after more than a decade here (not to mention being an introvert at heart), I seldom take part. I’ve never been much for group affairs, but I do enjoy going to the local (excellent!) Cuenca Symphony now and then. And of course, anything at all “foodie” (e.g. lunch with a chum, a gourmet tasting menu dinner, etc.) – I’m right. there!

Towit: recently I discovered an Indian “Thali” cooking class at a restaurant in El Centro (Ari’s Fuszion House on Calle Larga) at a most economical price ($15) So… naturally, I signed up for the class in a nanosecond.

Turns out – it wasn’t so much a “cooking” class as… a full-blown lunch, nay swoon-worthy TASTING of no less than *12* delectable Indian “thali” treats!

Our charming “instructor”/hostess (Ari) is an avid cook from southern India, and OMG – every wee dish was better, more authentic, more delicious than the last! And with each added dish, Ari shared details of just where in India the dish originated, its tasty components, health benefits, etc.

Yummy, salted Indian “lassi”

I also opted for a refreshingly salted, Indian “lassi” (similar to the delish frothy “ayran” yogurt drinks I sipped all over Turkey).

Even better – after enjoying a most diverse and tasty 2 hour lunch, Ali offered small packets of her family’s own precious spice mix (each Indian family has their own unique combo carefully passed down to each new generation). So needless to say – as an avid, nay obsessive home cook – I swiftly grabbed a wee bag of Ari’s “Butter Marsala” and last week made a batch (my first ever!) of homemade “Butter Chicken” – swimming in authentic Indian spicy goodness!

Dy’s (first-ever!) homemade Indian Butter Chicken

Seriously – between those many Indian spices, along with the uber-tender chicken nuggets (I believe the “secret” is that I marinated the chicken in a spicy yogurt mixture overnight to ensure maximum tenderness) – this dish turned out to be a sure winner here at Casa Dyannita!

Dyanne

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About the Author

Dyanne Off-the-beaten-path travel is my passion,and I’ve always lived life “like-a-kid-in-a-candy-store” – eager to sample as many flavors as I can. Indeed, my life motto has long been: This ain’t a dress rehearsal, folks!