Showing posts with label street food. Show all posts
Showing posts with label street food. Show all posts

Saturday, July 2, 2011

The humble scrambled egg


When I was preparing to come to London one of my friend insisted, go and enjoy the English breakfast there. I always had fetish for hash browns, had tasted baked beans and of course the scrambled eggs. My first English breakfast was as expected, enjoyable and filling. Eating that lovely breakfast on the street side cafe under the bright sun was relaxing.

As always I did not to finish the scrambled eggs soon. Eggs have always been a part of my diet. Mother makes them in different ways, dry egg bhaji, egg omelette, half fry, egg curry and egg bhurji. Egg bhurji is a spiced version of the known scrambled eggs. My all time favourite is the simple scrambled egg. Don't know if I make it as per the prescribed recipe, but I love scrambled egg sprinkled with black pepper powder. Its my first choice whenever I go for buffet breakfast. On the other hand egg bhurji has its own place. I like to eat the hot bhurji made in iron wok or tava, as we call it, with hot chapati. The smell of tava bhurji been prepared on the roadside stalls in Mumbai mesmerizes you. The site of people crowding these stalls and hearing of clanging sound of the wok is common to us Mumbaikars.
Its the same with egg omelettes. I prefer plain omelettes instead of the spicy ones prepared with onion, tomatoes, chillies and coriander. Not to forget the yummy Tibbs egg frankie that becomes your saviour at the Churchgate station. Wrap, eggs, little of chat masala, soya sauce makes one of the yummiest frankies that I have ever eaten. I remembered all this I was relishing another filling omelette breakfast at one of the cafes in Kingston.

Thursday, June 30, 2011

I missed it sooo much - The Sea!!


Those who live by the sea can hardly form a single thought of which the sea would not be part. Broch, Hermann

This quote is so true. Its been 8 months that I left Mumbai to study in London but there have had endless discussions remembering Mumbai seashore and rains. I realised how much I was missing sea when I visited Whitstable, near Canterbury this week. The site of calm water with men, women and kids enjoying themselves was so soothing and refreshing.
Born and brought up in Mumbai, my memories are filled with the sea. The childhood trips to Dadar 'chowpatty' as we call it, eating Mumbai street food and making sand dunes and wells on the beach. How can one forget those long drives and bike rides along the queens necklace, Bandra and Worli Sea face. The fishermen boats anchored at Versova, Juhu or Worli. The salty stink one is exposed to while crossing the Mahim causeway. Ah and the sea roar and splash during rainy, windy, Mumbai monsoons. The joy of drenching in those splashing sea waves at Marine Drive or Worli Sea Face cannot be described. The soaring sea, rough sea, sometimes calm sea is witness to the several romantic, gentle, emotional moments in the lives of us Mumbaikars. It swallows our sadness, frustration, anger and celebrates our joy. I am so longing to go back and feel that familiar cool and salty sea breeze in my beloved city - Mumbai.

Monday, May 23, 2011

Life in a metro – Mumbai



Mumbai or Bombay, like London, has been described and glorified a tonnes of times. Both the cities are financial hub; boast of some beautiful tourist attractions, melting point where people from different cultures and backgrounds live and not to forget their experience with terror. So when I decided to make my mood board on Mumbai for one of my assignments, I pondered what can I focus on which will not be a cliché. The answer was a Mumbai citizen or Mumbaikar’s life.

Born and bought up in this thriving city, I could recognise some finer nuances which drive everyday lives of millions and moulds you as a person.Transport is Mumbai’s lifeline. Travelling in Mumbai literally brings out a person’s determination and zest to live. Negotiating your way in the BEST bus, shoving for a seat in trains and dealing with cab drivers requires some sort of expertise, which you gain only by using public transport.

When on this journey, one will not miss a group of people clad in white clothes, pushing some carts filled with tiffins. These are Mumbai’s Dabbawalas, who deliver lunch boxes from home to office and back with a precision that most of the top companies will wonder about. Their dedication and determination to serve the customer, in time without any extra benefits has been applauded by one and all. This also signifies a fast pace life in Mumbai, where people cannot wait for their lunch boxes to reach work on time. What supports these hungry souls is Mumbai rich street food, general signified by Vada Pav.

Mumbai is dotted with many street stalls selling Vada Pav – a spicy potato filling stuffed in soft buns. One helping is fulfilling till you have the next meal. Every citizen, including me, craves for a vada pav from their favourite street stall. City’s grit is tested when the black monsoon clouds engulf it for three months. Though the heavy rains put Mumbai out of gear, they show a different facet of Mumbai life. Personally the feeling of drenching in smashing sea waves on a heavy rainy day is one of the most thrilling and unexplainable experiences of my life. Each year I look forward to one way of getting wet in rains and enjoying near city’s many waterfronts.

What unites this busy metropolis is the passion for cricket and festivals like the Ganesh Festival and Dahi Handi. Since my childhood Ganesh Festival has symbolised devotion, sharing and the feeling of belonging towards your family, friends and community. Indian batsman Sachin Tendulkar is a living legend we adore, not only for his cricket but as a person. He teaches me that praises and rewards are temporary, what matters is your passion, dedication and determination towards your goal, cherish your family values and be humble.