jai ho

Yesterday Katherine and I went to our first India Fest. For some reason (probably because of its size) it was held at the AgriCenter, normally the home of horse shows and gun and knife expos. It was loud and bright and very tasty (not the gun expo). There were a few small exhibits devoted to henna and immigration lawyer services, but this thing was primarily a food fest. There were at least 30 different booths showcasing food from every single region in India (and there are quite a few of those). And the best part was the price! I got a mango lassi, a big fat spicy vegetable samosa, and spinach vidai, each for only $1. HOWEVER, the climax was not almost getting knocked over by a 7-year-old dressed as Shiva but rather a lovely little dessert (also $1) called sandesh. It tasted a bit like cheesecake, those less creamy and without the tang. You're probably thinking that those are the best parts of cheesecake, but hear me out. Not only was it the perfect way to clear my palate of the vidai (TOO SPICY), it was the most beautiful mint green in the world. It could rival the macaroons of Laduree. The only natural way to achieve that color is with pistachios, but I didn't really taste any. Right when I got home I Googled that business and was sadly unsuccessful. The only recipes I can find are image-free and don't involve pistachios. I want the color as much as the taste (which comes from paneer, which I had never realized would work in both sweet and savory items). I could maybe replicate it with ricotta? But maybe the whole point was to savor it while I had it and then wait for next year.
Still waiting to buy a memory card for my camera....soon, though, soon!