FOOD-O-HOLIC

It was zombie’s birthday and all of us were meeting after really long. After school got over, everyone had been busy with their college life and work. Planning a venue and budget for any of our parties had been a big deal for our group. With certainly no plans in head we were out the next day with the minimum of pocket money we had, we anyway had zombie-the party host, to pay the bill. Our group had always had this special connection to food, we were called- Foodoholic in our school days. We had been to Churchill in Colaba, 

I’d heard that the place was really good at its taste.

There, we met a couple of foreigners who were researching on the local food in India. One of them Andrey Stoyan was from Russia and could speak better English than his partner. It was just about half an hour and we all seemed to be really getting along well. In the meantime Andrey showed me one of his recent blogs.

“It seems visiting India has given the highest of profit to my taste buds. I have to admit this, India really has a variety of cuisines. I’m currently in the fashion capital of India- Mumbai. It is an awesome place. People here are very lovely and helpful. On my research of the food in India, I have been tasting the local and street foods of Mumbai which seem to be the highlight of the place. Mumbai is most famous for its ‘vadapav’ which is almost like a burger but tastes very different. The spices used in all Indian foods are very antithetic. There are different foods which are famous from its own region of origin, like Chole-Bhature from the north and dosa from the south of India. Other famous foods here are Pav-Bhaaji, samosa, pani puri, bhel puri, idli and mendu-vada. They names seemed to be no less than tongue twisters here, so I carry a notebook with me and note down all of it. The colour, texture and taste of the dishes are extremely scrumptious and exquisite. I will be leaving to other places in south of India- Kerela and Tamil Nadu, in a couple of days, hoping for a tongue-feast there too.”

We were all laughing hard on the names being tongue twisters quote. Later we all gave them the names of some other popular food corners nearby. One thing which came out common between both group and those two were that we were foodoholics. Though the other guy, couldn’t speak to us much but I could see he him understand the common language we had- Food !

As we were returning back, we all had something to say about it, firstly a thank you to zombie for the treat. Kunal started up with the discussions about the foreigners . I could just think one thing: that we actually have people coming in from abroad just to taste the food of our country and what is the state of people who are aspiring to be cooks and those who are already masters in it but are unrecognised? Indians have always been sporty enough to pull aback people when they have wanted to showcase their talent of a different genre. The perfect example starts from my own family. My mother has been serving us delicious food from the day I’ve gained my mature senses but for no good. Neither of us:  father, brother or me have ever praised her on the cooking he does.

I entered my house late after coming in from zombie’s treat. My mother had still not slept. My mom asked me to freshen up and sit for the dinner. She had prepared for me my favourite aaloo paratha. I don’t know whether it was the just the taste of the paratha’s or the feeling that I had never shown my love to mom which made me say what I said.

“mom, the paratha’s are really tasty”

My mom simply gave me a smile and went to the kitchen continuing with her chores.