After a week of doing Ashtanga I quickly releized that it was close to training to become an Olympic Athlete and that my need for fresh, clean calories was dominating my life. This is when I started my love affair with the various fruit vendors.
Above center is my favorite fruit stand, Gokulum, up the hill from the coconut stand. They will really give you the ripest Papaya or tell you that your better off with mangoes or melon instead. They are also open incredibly late for Mysore.
Mysore has an Organic Framers Market on Saturdays. This is the only place where you can get proper fixings for a green salad. It is very popular with Yogi's and locals so ask around about the time and location. Arrive early, everything gets grabbed up quickly.
When you get tired of eating the abundance of fresh fruit and vegetables Mysore is full of spectacular street treats. Like this puffed rice creation availabe in front of The Mysore Palace.
On Chamumdai hill you can find the best fresh Pakoras near the temple. Insist that she creates a new batch for you. Try the green chili, at first bite it is hot, but the chickpea batter that Pakoras are made with quickly adds some sweetness. A fascinating combination. Everytime I visit an Ayurvedic Docotor they tell me I need to eat more Ghee, Oil, and Fat...
Something which is readily available in Mysore, which you will miss anywhere else in the world, is Idili. This is created by steaming lentils and rice to create an easy to digest spongy cake which is served with coconut chutney and a fried chickpea batter creation (you can skip this to make an extremely healthy breakfast). This is available from numerous street vendors in the morning and costs around 6 rupees. It is served on a banana leaf.
