Culinary Delights

The showers were coming down heavily, once I parked my vehicle opposite to the grocery store. I knew that I would be soaked, before making it to my home. It’s going to be pouring all day, cats and dogs, perhaps. Before fulfilling my mom’s wish, I thought it was wise to treat my taste buds. With quick strides I made to the pani puri stall, to my surprise, I was the first customer. Gupta Chat is a hangout for most of the teens in my area. It welcomes you with puri’s stacked in big packs. A big tava, experiencing the first heat from the stove, amidst the chill weather outside.

The chef (owner  ... or entrepreneur) has an eye for detail and adroitness. He decorates the tava with cutlet around the periphery. The cutlet looks pale yellow in its edges and dark brown in its surfaces which will make you go begging. I bet, you’ll try once you catch a glimpse of these little yellow punks. He greets us with a traditional smile, (vaanga sir) but he is a cult north Indian, tracing back to suburbs of Delhi. Making a quick glance at the menu, I decided to settle down for a aloo chat, which I haven’t tried.

With his razor sharp knife he chopped the onions, thanks to his rich experience. Now he carefully placed chopped potatoes (boiled earlier) in the tava. He dropped a tea spoon of butter to the aloos. Melting butter and aloos, were making my mouth water, soon the aloos turned golden brown in patches.  He placed the fried aloos in a Styrofoam cup (to avoid our palms getting burned... common sense) Chopped onions and bits of coriander soon decorated my chat.

I was waiting anxiously for him to complete his decoration and serve my aloos. He made a blend of spicy and sweet water to the aloos, with a final touch of lemon to mitigate the hotness!!  Finally he served the aloo chat after 15 minutes of agonizing wait. Once I had the first spoon of aloos, I know it was worth the wait. Aloos cooked perfectly and crispy edges made my day. A beautiful texture was evident due to the butter, adding to this was the spicy water (pani).

The place was buzzing with teens from schools and colleges, making their presence by gossips and naughty smiles. The gulab jamuns packed in glass jars was making a mockery at my resistance. The scent of moist earth after first showers and now jamuns swimming in trickle. Felt heaven was bit near to me at the first bite of the jamun. This is how ambrosia would have tasted, perhaps most worldly pleasures are brief, by now my mom texted me. 

wru?????  

OOPS!! Time to move out. Thank you Mr.Gupta and to your culinary delights.

PS: Dedicated to foodie Aranya (Forest), who has taken eating as her hobby.