This is a unique opportunity to visit the home of a local and explore traditional culture and cuisine. Monica lives with her husband, Sanjiv, and their son and daughter in a simple apartment just steps away from Taj Mahal. During the winter months, Monica will begin the cooking experience with a barbeque - you will learn how to marinate chicken and paneer (fresh Indian cheese) and cook it in a tandoor, an outdoor clay used for baking and cooking.
You will then move indoors to watch Monica's cooking demonstration at her dining table, where she uses a portable cooktop to demonstrate how to prepare the meal that you will dine on together. She prepares some of the ingredients in advance in order to save cooking time as Indian food can take a while to cook. She will demonstrate how to make chana masala (chickpeas cooked in Monica’s special masala), dal tadka (cooked lentils, tempered with oil or ghee, spices and herbs just before serving), jeera aloo (potatoes with cumin seeds) and boondi raita (yogurt served with tiny, crispy fried balls of gram flour). Please note that this is not a hands-on cooking class.