If I had to choose only one style of food to eat for the rest of my life, it would probably be Indian.  It makes "American" cuisine seem so bland and boring by comparison.  So, I was excited when Monique asked Lakshmi - a friend of the program - to help students learn to cook an authentic Indian meal last night.  I only helped eat (and clean), but it seemed to be a fun, educational, and "homey" experience for all involved. 

And oh the food!  On the menu were some traditional South Indian dishes: rice, sambar (vegetable stew), poriyal (spiced potatos), keeral kosambnu (spinach sauce), papadam (crispy wafers), vadai (fried veggie balls, sort of like felafel), and payasam (a sweet and flavorful milk concoction) and rasam (a digestive veggie soup) for dessert.  We all got the recipes and I'm hoping Monique can cook this meal for our community when we return home in July!  I'll clean!!