VADA PAV- Indulging in this delicious Mumbai street food after 18 years, proved nothing less than magical. My tryst with "Vada Pav", goes back to 1997. Mumbai: New place, new people, new food, new language, apart from my own conscience everything was unfamiliar. Had the first bite of this dish in our college canteen. I followed my friends one day to the college canteen and said "Ek vada pav" (Blindly repeated their order). Had no clue what was coming in the plate. I did see some random and swift movements in the kitchen, and within seconds comes a plate sliding onto me and the guy grinning saying "Apka ready". A bun, and a veg cutlet sort of thing stuffed inside, some hurriedly placed green chutney and tamarind chutney which was dripping carelessly. Was too hungry to analyze anything, and before I knew I had gobbled it all up. Burp! Sure, that was yummy.. And I told my friends I want one more. Am sure, there were much better "Vada Pav", available elsewhere. However, for someone who was staying away from parents, missing the ever yummy moms food had to rely on tiffin service. This tiffin had 2 colors of watery dal- yellow and orangish red, that used to get regularly dumped in trash without any regrets- and so, this was Vada Pav was God sent! On an average, one a day- considering 4 years of Mumbai college life I might have had 4*260= 1040- that is at least a thousand plus "Vada pavs". Wow!
Yesterday, our dear friends Rohit and Geeta brought this over, they laid it out and assembled the parts and Voila- what a scrumptious treat! As I took the first bite eyes closed, a surge of emotions churned within me, that picked me and effortlessly placed me in 1997.There are certain elements in your life that refuse to leave you, no matter how hard you try and I have given up on this conundrum. Love you, dear Vada Pav not sure when we will meet again, but I would do it in a heartbeat. Until then, Alvida..:-)