Bhuj: A Chef's Spicy Overdose

so i touched down in bhuj and immediately smelled cumin. not like, 'oh someone's cooking', but like, *cumin had infiltrated the air. my sous-chef brain lit up like a pressure cooker. the locals here? they eat spices like we breathe air. wild. i just checked the weather app and it's holding steady at 22.48 degrees, which feels like a perfect medium-rare kind of heat. hope you're into that.

first stop was the market. khavda wool carpets? forget it. i was there for the mirchi. someone whispered that the bhujia market spice traders have secret blends that'll make your tongue weep. totally true. i bought a kilo of something called 'ghost pepper powder'. big mistake. big. mistake. my sinuses are still staging a rebellion.

if the city starts feeling too intense, mandvi's beaches are just a bumpy rickshaw ride away. good for clearing your palate. also heard a local baker near the old fort uses camel milk in his kulfi. heard that from a drunk guy who smelled like saffron. take it with a grain of salt. or a grain of saffron. whatever.

tried the street food near the aina mahal. someone warned me the thali places here will ruin you for life. they weren't wrong. i had this ghari sweet that tasted like fried heaven. then my stomach growled back with hellfire. 10/10 would recommend. also, avoid the 'kutchi dabeli' vendor near the clock tower unless you enjoy gastrointestinal adventures. just saying.

here's the real tea: the kutch cuisine is wild. it's not just spicy, it's... layered. like, there's this thing called sukhdi - jaggery and nutmeg fried into a brick. i tried to replicate it in my hostel kitchen. my roommates now call me 'the arsonist'. anyway, if you wanna see where the magic happens:

- tripadvisor for bhuj eats
- yelp kutch food scene
- kutch tourism board
- food blogger's bhuj guide


pro tip: always ask your hotel to boil the water. unless you want to experience indian stomach flu*. it's not fun. trust the chef. off to find more questionable spices. later, gators.