Feeding family off the beaten track...

[madcows]

Hi there,
Will shortly be moving to India with 5yo and 18month old.... am finding myself thinking about the silliest things. So here are some questions for others who are off the beaten track!

• Before we go I want to collect lots of recipes for goodies and treats that don't require an oven. I've got as far as fridge biscuit-cake thingy... but can't think of anything else.

• Debating getting a yogurt-maker. 5yo is super-skinny, and yogurt is main way of getting calories in him. Memories of Indian yogurt / curd is that it is rather bitter (he doesn't like sugar in his... just plain and creamy!) Has anyone tried one of these (bearing in mind that I won't be able to buy a little pot from Tesco's to start it off occasionally...) ... and is the yogurt creamy?

thanks, madcows

Where exactly in India will you be?

Tamil Nadu... but not in a big city. Are you there?

No, but I wish!

i'm afraid I don't know anything about yoghurt makers. As long as you don't need to plug them in, it might be useful.

Are you veggies??

And I wouldn't worry about treats too much - Indian sweets are fantastic and I'm sure you'd be able to get them, unless you're really in the sticks.

Madcows, thats really exciting, when will you go?

Will you not have an oven?? Or are you worried about continuous and reliable gas/electricity supply? Will you be living in a very rural place?

I have never had a yoghurt maker but in Ethiopia we made yoghurt without a machine, just using powdered milk, but for the life of me I can't remember how we started it off. I will have a think.

How is the bread situation? I would certainly have considered a breadmaker in a couple of places we have lived.

I often found there were oven free recipes for kids treats in kids cookbooks/lunch ideas books. Unfortunately I don't have them to hand as I waiting for our container to arrive, but I can have a look when they arrive (hopefully in the next couple of weeks )

We're going in late July. Unlikely that we'll have an oven - but gas hob and fridge. It isn't v rural, and elec supply shouldn't be too bad. I've lived 'off the beaten track' before... but never with children, so a different ball game.
Don't think breadmaker is v realistic (as we won't have a container just our suitcases!)... Once your container arrives would really appreciate any oven-free recipes!
madcows
ps - where in Ehtiopia were you? I was in Wolayta for a year or so.

Not sure what you 'll be doing out there but will you not be able to get a local girl/woman in to help anyway - and they will be able to make you plenty of Indian style snacks, they are really into getting their toddlers all chubby too, constantly running about after them with fried breads or pakoras or sweets. Was in Bangladesh when ds was 2 and dd 6 months and the maid used to bring 4 or 5 different dishes for breakfast, even made fresh chips for ds!

ah, yes I can see that a breadmaker wouldn't easily slip into your suitcase

What will you/dh be doing there? And in Wolayta? We were in the comparative luxury of Addis for a couple of years and absoultely loved it. Did you enjoy your time there?

If you can get your hands on rice krispies, you can make many a thing, with treacle/golden syrup, white chocolate, dark chocolate, chopped up apricots...

Don't really know what we'll be able to get. Most things when we go to the big cities... but not sure about where we'll be most of the time. Will have to wait and see... (All part of the fun!) We're (both) doing research - as I was in Wolayta. It was a fascinating place - but hard work!
I'm sure we'll be trying all the india-sweets... but ds is not an adventurous eater (to say the least), and also there will be so much new for him to take in, that I want to try to be sure that I can give him some stuff he is familiar with.

Hello! Are you still in TN?

Pancakes and drop scones, sponge pudding, 'pudding cups' (as in egg custard left to set - vanilla with bannana slices, or with chocolate melted in). Chocolate cream pie - same thing with a biscuit base and cream on top. Trifle. Doughnuts.

Ah.....just saw that this is really old

yeah, sorry it was me who restarted a really old thread, i kind of didn't realise it would come back up at the top of the list.....but i'm still really interested in kids recipe ideas for far flung places! Thanks himalaya!

Okay, it's not a recipe, but it's the best tip I've got - homemade which calls for cream of tartar - any acid can be substituted. I used lime juice in Nepal.

Homemade play dough? I live in Sudan and took cream of tartar for this! We make pancakes, drop scones, have roti with chopped fruit and honey etc :) We also have a freezer tho so make frozen yogurt and so on.

Sorry yes, missed crucial word! Homemade playdough! Well, if your cream of tartar runs out now you know what you can do

rillablythe I certainly will, thanks :o