Cholay and Bhatura The name conjures up images of a delectable delight. Many moons ago in the steel city of Rourkela , there was a restaurant that my family frequented every Friday for Cholay and Bhatura. The Cholay Bhatura was the best I ever had in my entire life, havent had too many as I was never too fond for it but did crave when I was expecting my kid many years ago. The Bhatura was fried but non oily and my baby teeth didnt need to work too much as it was supersoft. The Cholay was a watered down experience , but tasty nevertheless. I was too young to remember the name of the restaurant, but I do remember the experience. Every Friday, I went to Odissi dance school, walky walky and Ma Baba then picked me up after class. First was dinner time, Ma was very particular about eating and sleeping on time. Her favorite childhood adage was Early to bed , and Early to rise makes a man healthy wealthy and wise. At the recurrent mention of this enunciation, I would sometimes quip, But Ma I am not a man. I am going to be a woman, right! . Ma would pretend not to hear but I could see a smile forming on her lips, sometimes. Well anyways, we would enter the restaurant and I want to say it was a Punjabi one, (Buku help me here if you are reading!!), and Baba would always order the Cholay Bhatura even before the waiter came with folded napkins like a half fan and the quintessential lime and pickle. I would always be fiddling with spoons and forks while Ma would be elegance personified. She even chewed her food in the most elegant manner possible, now that I think of it, silently and stylishly be it with the spoon or a gentle angle of her head. I on the other hand was like my dad, full on. Pity my Odissi mudras were quickly forgotten. When the food arrived, Ma would devour in no time as she was very pregnant with my little sister, obviously as a child I had no idea it took 9 months, for me my sister began with the noticeable bump. Baba would wash the cholay spoon by spoon in the glass of water surreptitiously enough and feed me. It was way too spicy for kids he thought. I still remember the image of the black cotyledons floating in a oily gravy in a canoe shaped dish with chopped onions, slit chilli and a halved lime as the decorations. Hurry Hurry, he would say, the movie is about to start. And lo behold, our family of three with one to arrive soon would dash to the last show of the nite , a Hindi flick inevitably. Intermission, meant I was either too sleepy and Ma nudging Lets go home and Baba getting me Gold Spot and 5 Star to keep me awake. Closure was important in every film for him and I guess finally in life. Many moons later , today I learnt that all the Chola Bhaturas did serve their purpose indeed, as my sister confessed this morning on her love for the quintessential Punjabi style Chola Bhatura. Love you Ma, Baba wherever you are for leaving a little something behind to smile about with my kiddo sister.
Posted on: Wed, 10 Dec 2014 05:15:07 +0000
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