Yes I am talking food today. No recipe or ideas for simple cooking
but just a journal entry of a hogger. Yes a hogger, I have very carefully analyzed
the word to refer myself with it.
A hogger: A person or a being who will engulf anything that looks
remotely edible.
I don't know about Oxford dictionary, but that is the
definitions and I live by it.
I have not traveled much just some national destinations so my
food knowledge is very local and I am very proud of it, sometime even flaunt
it.
Most of the people I came across, over heard or discussed with, was
more about international food destination. It was all about food from different
culture, demographic and continent. But for me food is home, the recipe that
makes me feel homely is the ultimate dish and even Gordon Ramsay can't affect
that belief of mine. There is so much to explore locally that I never felt to
leave the city for experiments and new flavors.
Ok here I introduce some of my friends who are hoggers same as me.
We have our different specialty like super heroes have their special powers. Let
me start with my friend who is known for eating anything, I mean anything; from
frog, snakes to bugs. He has tried and tested everything. The second one comes
with elegant pallet, the person with whole seven course attitude with a dash of
wine in it (red preferred) and then comes me, a crossover of Hulk and Flash, you
know like the super hero with super speed and the other with gigantic
appearance, so I am know for my speed and size of the portion of whatever I am eating.
Sometimes my friends have to tell me to eat slow and in small portions as they don’t
feel like they are eating alone, even when we are together because till they
prepare themselves to eat or are 20% there; I am done. Waiting and watching
them to finish it. After they finish we have a look at each other and we have a
hearty laugh on how weird are we and how we don’t care about it. The bond of
our friendship is strong because of food.
The food we are discussing today is favorite to most... sorry all Mumbaikars,
and if you hate this you are not a Mumbaikar.
Have you ever experienced nirvana? The amalgamation of tastes: sweet,
sour, spicy, tangy and when this is not enough for your pallet it also plays
with temperature, the hot and cold sensation simultaneously. You guys must have
already guessed it till now and would be smiling with the numerous memories you
have with this dish. To all who are still guessing it is PANI PURI.
Thin wafer container holding the world of flavors, just the thought
makes me crave for it. The tanginess of Imli (Tamarind), the sweetness of Khajoor
(Dates), the freshness of Pudina (Mint) and the spiciness of Mirchi (Fresh Green
Chili)... SALT ADDED ACCORDING TO TASTE & PREFERENCE. I can go on and on
and it will never be enough words to describe the experience of having a
panipuri.
I have no idea where Panipuri was invented but available all over India,
just renamed and re branded. Some are known as Gol Guppa in Delhi, Puchka in Kolkata
and so on. I may sound rude or just plain inexperienced foodie but the best Panipuri
you will find is in Mumbai at a roadside stall. It is a different adventure all
together to have pani puri at a roadside stall. It is not just the food but
also the whole experience which comes with it. I have many such wonderful experiences
when having a plate of panipuri. The only time I remember about my math teacher
is while having panipuri as I have use probability of the time required to get
the panipuri back to my plate when Panipuri wale bhaiyaji serving panipuri to
numerous people at once, it is like a fun game I play while waiting for my turn
to have one. The fun part of this dish is it is custom made for every person.
Some have it spicy, some sweet, some both. I have never seen people judging and
making decision on such a fast pace as the first puri hits their pallet that
what the rest of the puris will be.
We all must have done this but will never admit it under free
will, whenever the Panipuri guy serves a Panipuri u automatically start the
race with him. The race of gulping down the Panipuri before another one hits
your plate and achieving that is no less feat in our mind and heart. The excitement
you receive is beyond words while having the world’s best dish.
Now for some, it would be a direct ticket to doctor’s clinic. Yes
the road side stalls are far from being hygienic and clean, but that is the
best part of it. You know the risk involved yet you take a plunge and always
end up happy and mouthful of flavors, occasional food poisoning is part of the
risk deal, at least you get to eliminate the bad stalls from a good one... Lesson
learnt.
This is why it is the dangerous but the best dish in the world.
You can hate it but you can never stop having it.
Any one for a panipuri contest... I am always game for one...
Bring it on
P.S: All the road side stall are not clean and hygienic to food
standards, hence eat at your own risk.
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