Spices at Damneon Saduak Floating Market, Bangkok
Life is rough being a foodie with a complex palate. I always have such high expectations when I eat out. I always find myself comparing my meal or dining experience to a similar meal or comparable restaurant that is perhaps more superior, unless of course, the food that is currently dancing on my palate is the best I’ve ever had. So I often find myself being disappointed and unsatisfied. That explains my overall disappointment in most of the Thai food I had during my trip. Life would be much simpler being content with eating a Big Mac and a Coke rather than craving homemade spaghetti alla puttanesca and bruschetta for dinner!
The one saving grace of growing up in the melting pot known as the city of hell’s angels is the abundance of every possible ethnic cuisine one can imagine. I grew up eating pupusas (Now if you don’t know what a pupusa is, then Google it! I won’t hold it against you. *Hint: It’s not a baby carrier or kangaroo pouch.), lechon asado, ghormeh sabzi, lamb vindaloo, chicken yassa, lard na and tom yum, adobo and lumpia, kimchi and bulgogi, a little chicken ‘n waffles, and so much more. Ok, so now I’m just bragging. My bad! But seriously, if you don’t know what any of these scrumptious dishes are (with the exception of chicken and waffles), then you are dead to me! I say good day to you! (Just bow your head in shame and go sit in the corner.)
So today I had a hankering for Indian food, and not just ANY Indian food, but some South Indian food (which is supposed to be spicier and just different from the average Indian food that many of us are used to). After reading a bunch of reviews and seeing this restaurant featured on “Check, Please! Bay Area,” I finally had a chance to try Udupi Palace in Berkeley (just a few blocks from work). The menu is all vegetarian, and as a former one, I don’t expect vegetarian restaurants to dazzle me with their expertise in the use of spices (other than salt and pepper).
I ordered the Udupi Special Spring Dosa. The description is “Mysore Masala Dosa stuffed with fresh vegetables, served with sambar and coconut chutney.” Mysore is the second largest city in the state of Karnataka in India, 87 miles southwest of Bangalore . The name Mysore is an anglicized version of Mahishuru, which means the abode of Mahisha (which stands for Mahishasura, a demon from Hindu mythology). Ok, so I admit all of this Wikipedia stuff means absolutely nothing to me since I haven’t been to India and still have no idea where Mysore or Bangalore is (but I’m a researcher and that’s just what I do, plus I wanted to impress you!). Masala, of course, is a mixture of spices. I don’t need to explain that one! A dosa is a South Indian crepe made from rice and split, skinned urad bean (like black lentil) blended with water and left to ferment overnight. It was stuffed with a finely chopped assortment of fresh vegetables, which was a little heavy on the onion, but it had a nice kick to it. Sambar is a traditional South Indian vegetable stew (although more like a soup) with a broth made with tamarind and toovar dal (a type of pea/legume). Tamarind pulp is soaked in water to extract the flavor and then discarded. A mixture of ground spices known as sambar powder (which contains roasted coriander seeds, chilies, lentils, and other spices) and tamarind are added to the dal. Vegetables and spices such as turmeric and chili powder are also added. I could definitely taste the mustard seeds, fenugreek seeds and coriander seeds, which would seem to be an overwhelming combination, but the balance of flavors and spices was perfect. I could even taste the asafoetida. The coconut chutney served on the side was very different from any other chutney I’ve had. It was dry, thick and pasty. Not bad, just different. I think I prefer wet chutneys instead of dry ones. There was also a side of kempu chutney, a spicy red onion-based chutney that was spread inside the dosa also.
Overall, the flavors were fresh, yet complex. Some might say it was a bit bland, but Indian food never tasted so good after eating nothing but Thai food for two weeks! My taste buds might feel a bit different the next time I dine at Udupi Palace, but they were satisfied. The dosa was so huge that I only ate half and took the other half to go for another meal, but I ran into a homeless man (well, there are many in Downtown Berkeley, but this one looked extremely down and out), so I gave him my leftovers…something a true sage would do…(he definitely needed it more than my waistline).
