So, I’ve
been away for a while because of semesters and the whole burning the midnight oil and the old saga of covering six
months worth of syllabus in six days. However I am back and I missed you guys.
Yesterday
evening I had an experience that the inner foodie in me will remember for a
long time. My mom is undergoing physiotherapy for arthritis and her
physiotherapist is a smiling, happy-go-lucky guy who eats with a passion. This
person took me for a ride on his bike to an obscure roadside joint in Asansol.
There was
nothing remarkable about the place we were at. A steel counter, a small kitchen
cum storeroom and two people inside cooking food. What caught my eye was a metal pronged
collection of kebabs which was slow roasting on an open coal spit. The smoky,
charcoal laced aroma on a winter’s night was something that tantalized my
nostrils seductively. The next step was lacing this roasted preparation of
kebabs with a coriander chutney, in which there was a hint of chilli.
I know the
inner foodie in you wants to slaughter me right now, and I do not blame you.
However the story isn’t over yet. The
aforementioned kebabs, dipped in chutney were then rolled up in a paratha and
handed over to us. It was the most unusual roll I’ve ever eaten and it was
better than rolls I’ve eaten in good restaurants.
The funny
thing is, there are eateries like this hiding in obscure alleys in big cities
too. Sometimes, you need to get on a bus, get off on a location and take a left
turn into a dim alley, where you can smell cooking oil being heated and hear
the sizzling of onions.
I found a
unique roll yesterday. Who knows what else is out there waiting to be found? Go
look!
The Bilge Master