Food meandering
When I let them, food can make my mind wander in different directions and places, too. And it’s fun to follow its whims and fancies to see where it leads.
Sometimes, a taste of a wada dipped in sweet, tangy sambhar, the true Bangalore way, can be comforting enough to feel at home. When that filter coffee is added to this mix, it becomes a welcome home treat.
Idli, the quintessential South Indian staple, brings back memories of school breakfasts when it was rushed, and these freshly cooked dough balls had to be gulped down and rushed. For now, they are eaten only if the body requests a rest from the onslaught of spices or there are no other better options on the menu.
The aerated drink after Chinese food melts away the grease, doesn’t it? Or is it only me? That is indulgence level 100, when Indian Chinese food has an already addictive MSG content, and the sugar and fizz in the drink. It’s like Food Nirvana level X.
The same applies to spicy andra biryani with Aerated drinks. Here, too, the spices just slip away and evaporate, and they don’t trouble you. Or is it a food coma?
Our Rajasthani friends make us Daal Baati; you chow them down and drop on the bed. That is a series of events defined on that blissful Daal Baati day. Never think of eating anything after that. It’s a crime on the churning experience that the above combination with a dollop of Ghee provides.
The Kerala staple Kanji — Porridge coupled with payar (beans tempered with curry leaves and onions), papadam, achar (pickles), chammanthi ( chutney made of mangoes if seasonal with coconut and chilies), and if super indulgent, a sambhar onion and curry leaves added omelet ( yes that’s the Kerala version) or a fish fry. Gruel is the simplest of our meals; you can see the accompaniments and ascertain that it is that simple. When had, it is such an energy booster; you are supposed to head to your paddy field and just plough it all away. You can also sit in front of the screen and have bleary dreams of the upcoming Oonu — the plantain leaf meal with many many curries.
How about the national snack of Kerala? Just as we are God’s own country, we have defined Pazhampori — Banana Fritters as the above-coveted crown. For more on that — https://medium.com/@lthampi/going-bananas-in-thrissur-db9dacd2683d. But that taste that lingers on your tongue when you chomp on it is right only if the Chaya with the proper brew is coupled with it. It has to be that tea from Samovar.
Chaya: Chai, Tea: the fuel for the soul as it can be called. It cures all heartbreak, heartburn, tummy churn, chest burns, and more.
Did I miss anything? We Indians are blessed with such a varied cuisine. I have missed so many varieties. But the above are dear.
