-Shredded lettuce and carrots: A vegetable side is often included to help ensure this is a balanced meal.
-Kokum: Kokum is a small fruit native to India, and it is often turned into a drink which serves as a natural coolant for the body. Of all the items on the thali, this is consumed last as it is used to aid in the digestion of the meal.
Even though I came here excited to try new foods, it can still be an overwhelming experience: when you are so far from home and everything is different from what you're used to, it's easy to crave flavors that are familiar. Yet, food is one of the most fundamental ways to connect with people, so I tried to balance my sense of adventure with bits of comfort from home.
When I first landed here in Goa, I was staying in a hotel while I figured out long-term accomodation. Without a kitchen to cook my own food, I was eating out every single day. Many colleagues offered recommendations on places to eat, and I wanted to make sure I took their advice. While it may seem simple, I think food is a meaningful way to connect with others. So, every other meal or so, I would try to explore a recommendation offered to me, and the next meal I would have a cuisine that was a bit more familiar to me. So I would go from Goan food for lunch to Italian food for dinner, or Goan for lunch and American for dinner, and so on. That proved an effective method for me trying new meals while also reminding my body that there are pieces of familarity all around me.
When I worked in Delhi, my office manager was from West Bengal, an area of India also famous for its fish-based cuisine.
