It was just one of my usual, lazy evenings sipping a cup of cappuccino with a friend at the Barista at Khan Market, the one where its cloyingly cosy yet affords a breath of fresh air with a couple of chairs out on the balcony. I was just contemplating what to have for dinner, maybe a quick affordable bite at Mc'Dy's or let’s see, one of those rolls at Khan Chacha's when I noticed two missed calls on my phone. It was Tiks, my flat mate, my former hostel mate, and more than anything else, my critique and shopping partner! Her parents and kid brother were coming in for the night! 'O my God, is the house in a state fit to be seen was my first thought!
I went over as hastily as I could to our modest two room sarkari flat and was met by the most appetizing flavour ever! Hot dinner being cooked by Aunty, yellow dal in true assamese style with just a spattering of ‘paas-phuron’, mixed vegetables, fried onions n tomatoes and eggs, and lip-smacking 'bogori asar' (berry pickle)! Aunty looked at me and smiled, 'Go and change quickly, dinner is almost ready'...i did not need that line; I was ready to tuck in right at that moment if only she would let me! Me and Tiks gorged ourselves on 'maa ke haath ka khaana' and later shamelessly admired our swollen tummies! Size zero was passe! ;)
Uncle was updating me with how expensive the humble karela was in Delhi, 60 rupees a kilo, can you imagine that? Or for that instance, lemons, the staple add on to every assamese meal was 5 rupees a piece! How do people manage to live here! I did not want to clarify that 'cooking veggies was not really a priority for us' and we could get by very well with scraps here and there, we were pretty uncomplaining people if you consider! Raja meanwhile was busy watching a movie called 'Ninja Assassination', a film we had no clue even existed on Tiks's laptop! He also advised me to watch 'The Fast and the Furious' part two not part four; the action in the latest one was pretty lame. My knowledge on Harry Potter too was suitably enhanced when I assumed 'The Deathly Hallows' was the end of J.K Rowling forever, but no! ‘There’s a second part coming, you didn't know that’ was his scornful reply! We were also supposed to call it an early night because the family was heading to Haridwar for a religious dip and Tiks's was going explicitly to click more pictures that could be uploaded on FB asap! By 5am, everyone was up and debating who takes the longest time to get ready...Aunty wins that hands down...I doubt whether anyone other than my own Amma could beat her!I had to warm her tea twice before she packed in all her mekhela-sadors, blouses even a bottle of sauf I managed to keep her from taking! I tasted the sauf, delicately browned with little dry coconut pieces thrown in, used to traditionally welcome every guest back home with additions like pieces of paan and betel-nut. By 7am, everyone was miraculously ready to go, and I was left wishing I could go too inspite of Tiks's cryptic warning 'Bore khaabi'! (You will get bored')....I guess it was a desire to re-connect with all those familiar pointers that make any place feel like home...But sigh...evil things like chapter-writing awaits me :(
As they all waved goodbye and as I saw the white Indica vanishing from sight, I went inside and was greeted by the strong sweet smell of burning incense...I remembered the Eid mornings when it filled up the whole house, and an intense longing to go home overpowered me...
12 comments:
Ahh...I could imagine your expression smelling that pleasant 'Maa ki haath ka khaana' ;)Hope you enjoyed it big time!!
@ shyamoli : Thnks fr reading dear! :)N yes, im still in raptures about tht meal!yum yum! :)
drop in sumtime, many mre meals waiting!
Another touchy one.
Nice cut out of daily routines.
Spontaneity mixed with slumber.
Why is it that girls today don't know how to cook as well as our mothers used to?? Where exactly did this disconnect happen? It is so disheartening that the exotic culinary tradition which was the pride of Indian culture now faces imminent extinction because girls don't have the perseverance to imbibe this fine art! What is our future if the situation continues to deteriorate so rapidly? Will we end up as craving consumers of ready-to-eat commodities like the Westerners are? Is there ANY hope left?? And no, guys can't cook.
hi nano. u guys having fun without me???? humph!! i wish i could meet aunty too!!! btw mur gharatu bogori asar ase:) it came all d way from dibrugarh:) i will save some for u only if u promise to visit me this time without fail. so girl, complete your 'evil things' fast and pack up!!
ur most welcome on all week days and saturdays and sundays as well as shanivaars & Ravivaars to hog over Home cooked Maa ke haath ka Khana!
BUt Nass should have gone to Hardwar! Its a gr8 sight!
rajora81@yahoo.com
Really very touchy and full of expression.
I wish i could also explain that moment when u call me"Saima Aapa chai ban gayee".
@ Ashish : Thank you for reading n appreciating :)
@ Sabby : Won't honour ur blatantly sexist comment with a response! :P
@ Gitu : Ki koiso???? Bogori asar ase?? Yipeeeeee...me dreaming of dipping my hands in it already! :)
N swthrt, we might hv a lil fun nw n thn bt its nthing in comparison to having u arnd <3
@ Vikas : Thank you so much for that open-hearted invite :)
I will drop in sum time, i so want to meet Niharika too :)n the foood! :)
N wht abt Haridwar, its tht grt??
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