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Kurma's South American Tour

Cooking With Kurma > Travel Diary > South America

Part Two: La Paz, Bolivia

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We picked up my Brazil visa, and had lunch at yet another one of La Paz’s numerous Hare Krishna vegetarian restaurants. This one, called Lakshmi, is situated on the corner of Murillo and Sagarnaga in the well-known tourist shopping quarter Galeria Chuquiago. Laksmi cooks local cuisine, but especially “comida tradicional de la India”. Their hot gluten and vegetable filled samosas were memorable, as was their lovely homey, heart-warming sopa (hot soup) and fresh boiled yucca.

While having lunch, we started up a conversation with two English backpackers on the next table. Mathew and Janice were finishing up their stay in Bolivia, and had already checked out of their hotel. But when we told them about tonight’s cooking class, they decided to stay an extra day and promised to attend. Mathew and Janice did come, as did a few other first (and last) timers. The last class was memorable:

Pure de Frijol verde Marroqui (Bissara) con pan turco
(Moroccan Broad Bean Puree with Turkish Breads)

Arroz a la naranja
(North American Orange scented Pecan-studded Basmati Rice)

Vegetales a la plancha envueltos en pan pita, al estilo griego
(Greek-style Roasted vegetables wrapped in Pita Breads - Souvlakia)

Empanadas rellenas con vegetales, estilo Mayapur
(Mayapur-style stuffed pastries - Samosa)

Chutney fresco y nectareo (Fresh Nectarine Chutney)

Postre de yogurt condensado
(Creamy condensed Yogurt Dessert - Shrikhand)

There is nothing quite like a cooking class to bring people from all walks of life onto a common platform of service. The feeling is palpably spiritual. Before dinner, as the last rays of the sun shone through the skylight, we took a group photo in the foyer. Then we all sat down together and enjoyed the fruits of our hard labour. The verdict? A resounding, delicious success.

Mission accomplished in La Paz! The week went fast. We made many new friends, but now we must separate. As twigs and leaves that are borne on a flowing stream come together for some time, and then are swept away on the waves to their separate destinations, so we must also endure such parting from new aquaintances. Tomorrow we will head southeast over the high plateau to warm dry and sunny Cochabamba for the next stage of our culinary cooking adventure.

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