Comfort Food

So lately my stomach has decided that it doesn’t like me very much. I’m not really sure what made it so incredibly determined to rebel, but regardless of motivation, it is staying true to its goals. I’ll spare you the details, but suffice it to say that I’ve been having to get pretty creative with my food choices lately. Luckily I am in a position where I have a lot of independence with regards to what I eat, so this pursuit of peace with my tummy is not a lost cause.
I usually eat at least one meal a day in the school’s dining hall. But, because they realize that even Indians fall ill, or simply can’t stomach certain spices, the dining hall will prepare “bland food” on request. It’s not the tastiest option out there- usually just plain boiled lentils and potatoes- but if you’re in my situation, it works for a little while. Otherwise, I have the luxury of also being able to cook for myself at home. (I say “luxury” because getting a stovetop and a fridge alone were huge feats. I still don’t have an oven, but I’m considering buying a little toaster oven later on.)
However, it is one thing to be physically able to cook for oneself in India, and quite another to actually accomplish it. While grocery stores do exist, the area of Mumbai in which I live has just two tiny (think “mid-sized convenience store”) options. At first I clung to those quasi-westernized shops with all of my being, but gradually I’ve begun to realize that the markets are much easier ways of getting most products.

Fresh fruits and vegetables on the street are incredibly cheap, so I can buy those with no problem. I have to remember to thoroughly disinfect them with purified water, and to peel them whenever possible, but otherwise, going around the corner from my flat to pick up a few mangoes is actually kind of fun! As far as other food items go, I discovered a little stall about a minute from my flat that carries a huge assortment of dried beans and rice as well as spices. I assumed initially that they wouldn’t have anything else, but upon further investigation, I realized they have a lot of other things as well. Today I went with a “wish list” of items I assumed they wouldn’t carry but hoped they might. 15 minutes later, in addition to the dried pinto beans and chili powder I planned on buying, I left with tomato sauce, jarred honey, bread, garlic, dried pasta, and crackers! Every time I asked for something, the little man behind the counter nodded to me, and hopped up on a stool or disappeared into the back and produced the item! Of course I had to scrupulously check expiration dates and seals, but, in the end, nothing he gave me was questionable at all. Oh, and did I mention that I got all of that for less than $2.50?!
I am still going to go to regular stores for most dairy items and eggs, as well as a few specialty “imported” things that street stalls won’t carry. But that is actually kind of a fun trip too. You see, one of the two stores in the area has a fairly large American section to it. When I first started having stomach troubles, I went there and bought a few familiar things, both for physical and emotional comfort. Here is a picture of some of my more exciting purchases!

Breakfast cereal is incredibly American, and Indians really don’t get too into that, so Corn Flakes is almost the only cereal option I’ve found. But, as you can see, these are not just any Corn Flakes. These are Mango Corn Flakes! Mmmm! I was so excited when I found these, and was even more excited when they actually tasted like Mango! Once I finish this box, I’m going to have lots of fun trying all of the flavors: Strawberry, Banana, Honey, and Almond! But cereal is not the only thing India likes to add flavors to. That little box in the corner is a tiny, pistachio-flavored soy milk! I’ve already had the mango-flavor (can you see a trend?) but they also make strawberry, apple, and coffee-flavored ones, so I’ll definitely be testing all of those in the future as well. Finally, the last purchase I photographed is just plain-old Diet Pepsi. (Sorry, no mango-flavoring this time!) Diet sodas are not common here at all, and while I try to limit my soda consumption (diet or otherwise), every now and then, I just want a Diet Pepsi! (or Diet Coke. I’m not picky!) I also bought a few other American items, but they weren’t too exciting, so I didn’t bother taking pictures. I tried to be fairly reasonable about how much I bought though, and reminded myself that I could always come back to get anything else I was wanting, like pancake syrup, jelly, barbecue sauce, salsa…you get the idea.
Well, now that I have thoroughly bored you with an entire post devoted to my grocery shopping habits, I’ll end here. Please keep my poor stomach in your prayers, though. As fun as Mango Corn Flakes are, I’m pretty sure I don’t want to live on them for very long!