Momos killed the Samosa!

I’ll be honest and admit that the idea is not mine and I heard 2 random guys bizarrely named Shanky & Panky rant about it on one of the trazillion FM radio stations which takes pride in giving a ‘555 pataka chai’ advertisement more air time than playing some occasional music. As they crooned in the most irksome of voices to the most exasperating of guitar plays about what the urban dim sum has done to our good ol’ staple food of all generations, it made me realize that these annoying buggers do have a case in point.

Let’s roll back shall we. Circa 1997, the only three places in Delhi where you’d find an Odd Momo being sold would be Chanakyapuri (the best back then), the Dilli haat (still the best fried ones) and the Tibetan market near ISBT (primarily for the momo soup). Needless to say the samosa could be found at a stone’s throw away, anywhere in Delhi.
But that was back then, back in the days when Akshay Kumar hideously dressed in blindingly shiny Green dhoti kurta was singing “Jab tak rahega Samose mein aaloo..” song to Juhi Chawla who by the way, gleefully matched up to the depressing standards set by Mr. Rajeev Bhatia.
That was also the time when every guest visit at home meant that I’d have to make a quick dash to the local mithai wala to get Samosas for everyone. Quickly counting the total number of people in my mind, always adding one extra, I’d ask money from mom in a telepathic conversation using my pleading eyes that said “Mom, can I please have two for myself..?”

A lot has changed since then, and ‘The Ugly Dumpling’ has made foray into the limelight to such an extent that if I were to drive to the local market on any given day, I’d be certain to come across at-least a dozen momo kiosks. Apparently them oriental buggers weren’t satisfied by taking over our electronics industry, so they have now resorted to invade us on the food front. I may sound cynical in thinking that it’s a massive conspiracy but how else do you explain such a large scale influx of jiaozi (Chinese for a momo) on our streets.

The Samosa is dying a slow death. It no more enjoys the un-challenged mandate that it used to a few years ago, it is no longer the favorite evening snack but it still has a few loyalists including me. So here is my account of where you’d find a good Samosa or two :

1. Frontier Samosa, Panchkuian Road – for its old world charm.

2. Bengali Sweets, Bengali Market – for the urban version.

3. Manhor’s Japani Samosa, Lajpat Rai Market, Chandni Chowk – for something different.

There is a bigger meaning to the line “Momos killed the samosa”. It is not just a question of one food item up-surging the other but a whole culture shift and the Momo-Samosa story is a mere allegory to that fact.

And it gets better !

Nothing beats an early morning start before day break, to kick off a road trip. Negligible traffic, congenial weather, buoyant mood add up in making it a kick-ass start, and there is always an added advantage of being able to gorge on famed Murthal parathas for breakfast J.
At Murthal, not being able to handle oodles of fresh butter on his paratha, prompted one of my kinsmen to say “bhai jisko bhi butter chaiye mujh se le le”. Poor guy, he is still in training phase, will get there eventually!

Sirhind, Punjab. A floating restaurant on an irrigation canal running the most beautiful Turquoise-green water which tempts you to jump right in and forget the damned deadline of making the destination to collect tickets for the match next day. Move on..
A full-size glass of Sugar cane juice is an absolute must, if travelling to Haryana, Punjab and parts of Western Uttar Pradesh. That done @ Hoshiarpur, Punjab and we get to see the first glimpse of hills after 30 more kilometers.

Some fierce driving on the most curvaceous of terrains woke my fellow travelers in passenger seat from their slumber which was a direct after-effect of a heavy influx of sucrose in their veins. They ran a risk of ending up as a homogeneous mixture of intertwined body parts so they hung on tightly. Certain degree of sense of urgency, quick turning roads and a desire to please the Schumacher inside me attributed to the drive it turned out to be.

A few hiccups and chances of getting the match tickets were bleak until some networking at the stadium gate earlier proved to be our savior. Finally tickets in hand, an average dinner concluded the long day which promised a lot and delivered a whole lot more.

Being woken up by the soft sound of tiny raindrops falling on the tree leaves just outside your hotel window is nature’s way of telling you that the day ahead is going to be great. It also tells you that cricket match you have come to see after travelling 600 odd kilometers, might not happen at all. Oh Crap!
Nonetheless, soon some sunshine led us to Nick’s café which has a small entrance and looked like any other small time restaurant, until you see an almost secret passage which leads you onto an open terrace with the most scenic of views. Doesn’t matter what you eat now, it’s all bound to taste good given the picturesque setting.
Apparently god heard someone sing the song “give me some sunshine give me some rain” and granted him his wish! A stadium which overlooks the snow-clad Dhauladhar range on one side and the religiously significant Kangra valley on the other, all you need now is a cracker of a game with almost 400 runs in a T20 match where Dhoni hits 2 consecutive sixes in the last over of the match to win it. Wish granted!

Amritsar being the home of quality food, it boasts of the largest consumption of milk and milk products in India. That said, a visit to Amritsar is exigent, and a prospect of getting to see the magical Golden temple only adds to the cause. The best time to visit the Golden Temple is at night when there are very few people around and there is always a certain degree of calm around. We were hoping to be blown away with the usual grandeur and familiar tranquility of the place, but none of us had realized that it was merely 5 days after Baisakhi. We were in for a grand surprise. A strong breeze at 03:00 hours, heads covered we turned around to enter the main gate and first glimpse. Whoa!!
There it was. The golden Temple stood in all its glory, augmented by the specially decorated lights, projecting a glorious reflection on the calm waters of the holy sarovar that surrounds it from all four sides. Any description of what was felt by us all would be an understatement. The aura and the peace was such that we ended up crashing on the floor for a good one hour until we were asked to get up by the volunteers ready to do their daily cleaning.

Punjabi food is definitely not for the ones living their lives counting calories, as gracious amounts of butter and Ghee complement all food items. Bhai Kulwant Singh’s Kulche were no exception either. They are served with the delectable chole ki sabzi and the most remarkable mixture of shredded onions and green chutney which is made of mint, coriander, onions, tamarind, green chilies and an array of exotic Indian spices. Not a word was spoken as we devoured on the most flavorsome of food. “It was one of the best things I have ever had, if not the BEST” said my kinsman under training after gulping down three of those butter laden kulchas. That was precisely my reaction about two years ago when I first tasted the food from heaven. This was my third time, and the experience has only gotten better. The inveterate thirst of my gluttonous taste buds was quenched for some time only to return at the first sight of Verka Milk bar @ Phagwara on our way back to Delhi. Trust me when I say that you wouldn’t find better tasting kheer for INR 12/- anywhere else in the whole world.

The drive that followed was pleasant and uneventful, as we got some time to recollect and take account of the incredible experience garnered over the past three days. Finally, reached home at 21:00 only to get ready for the usual grind starting early morning with memories to cherish for a long time..