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..

A tale of 4 Shawarmas

Reference Wikipedia - Shawarma also spelled Chawarma, Schawarma, Shawirma, Shwarma, Shuarma, Shawerma, Shoarma, Schwarma, Shoermeh, Siaorma, or Shaorma) is a Middle Eastern Arabic-style sandwich-like wrap usually composed of chicken, turkey, beef, or a mixture of meats. Shawarma is a popular dish and fast-food staple across the Middle East and North Africa; it has also become popular worldwide.
Its been a loooooooooong time since I first thought of starting a blog and I made my first entry and I know I should have done this a long time ago. Anyways, Hogster is back this time with "a tale of 4 Shawarmas".

Without wasting much time, let me get you the details and directions first.
Place - Al-Bake, NFC Delhi

Price - INR 30 for a Shawarma

Type - Strictly Non Vegeterian

Wiki has already given you an idea of what a Shawarma is.. but hey hang on... that is the most deceiving, most played down description of a shawarma, which MISleads you to believe that shawarma is your normal, run-of-the-mill, roadside chikken roll which you get at every neighborhood market.

Before I give you my description, let go through this little snippet..Below is a glimpse of a real life incident. Transporter, Hogster, Gamer, Movie-Freak are the characters involved (aliases used but anyone who knows em would know who are we talking about here).

While at Work, on a Wednesday around 19:00 hours,

Transporter to Hogster : Chalo Sir aj apko NFC le kar chalte hain, badey dino se pending ho rha hai

Hogster : Haan Haan chalo. Gamer, kya kehta hai ?

Gamer : I am ON, lets ask Movie Freak too

20:30 Hours at Al-Bake, NFC Delhi
Transporter to Waiter : "Bhaiya (counting in his mind)...8 shawarma le aao !"

Gamer : "Abey aath ?"

Transporter : "arrey achcha hota hai.. khaya jayega"

Hogster (To himself) : 'khane ki cheez hai...kitni buri ho sakti hai'

Gamer (To himself) : "pata nahi kya khila raha hai saala"

Movie Freak : "haha aath ?" (nervous laughter)

5 minutes gone, everyone is hungry, eagerly waiting (Note Only Transporter knew and had tried shawarmas in past). Everyone is blabbering, abey yaar kahan hai ye waiter, bhook lag rahi hai and saying things of that nature.Enter Waiter, with a platter full of shawarmas.

Arrangement - 8 roll like edible things, arranged neatly in queue and each one cut right at the centre making it 16 pieces in all. Accompanied is thick viscosity mayonese like white colored paste.

Transporter : "waah, chalo bhai shuru ho jao... i cannot wait" (picks one piece and takes a bite.. others follow)

Hogster : Bites into the first piece. NUMB, the whole world is at a standstill. Explosions in the mind...too indulged to say anything...hurries onto the next bite. The whole sequence revisited.

Gamer : "ummmmmmmm.." (making gestures with hand which suggest this stuff is mighty good...says nothing..bites into his piece for a second time)

Movie Freak : "Oh man..." (Laughing and relishing)

Silence! Not a word spoken.. Second round.. same fate. 2 pieces gone down for everyone

Hogster : "Beep Beep this is the most amazing thing I have ever had in my whole god damn life. Saala dimaag fat gaya hai"

Movie Freak : "Haha.. wow man.. this is really something"

Gamer : "God Bless Transporter..bhai kya kamaal ki cheez hai"

Transporter : (Looks equally intoxicated as others, content that everyone likes them) "achche hain na? kaun keh rha tha ki aath nahi khaye jayenge..Hogster se pooch lo.. saala aath aur to akele hi kha jayega"

The 16 pieces were gone in a jiffy. We had already ordered for main course which was on the way by now.
The incident happened nearly an year and a half ago, and there have been very few weeks that go by, without me making a trip to the shawarma-land.The owner claims that the recipe has been handed over through generations and very few people actually know how to make them. No trip to shawarma-land is complete without the Mitha paan available outside Mezz , so much so that it is almost a ritual now to have that paan after shawarmas. I dont think I have had better paan and trust me when I say that because I am not the only one who thinks so :)

Let me try and give you my account of what I think goes into the shawarma and that white mayonese like paste
Shawarma - The outer shell consists of maida, and aata, rolled into a roti like structure, which is subsequently placed on a tawa and and prepared with gracious amounts of butter/ghee/oil. The inner filling consists of very small chikken pieces, often minced and probably roasted like a chikken tikka. The chikken inside is tender and juicy beyond description and often leaves you wondering why doesnt chicken taste so good anywhere else. The filling also has traces of onion and tomato mixture which only spruces up the taste a notch. Then there is gracious presence of the mysterious white mayonese like paste, and the super yummy dhaniya-pudina chutney, and together these 2 make the filling a KILLER. Well there you have it, roll down the filling inside the outer shell and what have you got?... a portion of shawarma with a couple of bites that guarntee to mess up with your mind, leaving you amazed, content, tranquilised, and gluttunous all at the same time.

White Paste - Abey mujhe pata hota to main khud shawarma bechne lagta. All i know is that it is bloody brilliant and shawarma aint complete without it.

Alrite folks, thats that then. All this explaining has enticed my taste buds, and am off to you know where.... the shawarma-land.

--adios

HOGSTER !

In my words - A human being with an over exagerated craving and a HUGE appetite for anything that has even miniscule potential of enticing one's taste buds may be defined as an HOGSTER. Hold on, wait a minute.... that would be.... ME! Thus the name - Hogster !!

I am no writer, or a scholar or someone who's exceptional at penning down his thoughts but am a foodie, a chatora and hence the motivation for me to share with you, something which I love to do. So i'll try to take you along in my Journey around Food or a Food Journey or better still.....a foojourn(TM)

Now that the I have explained myself, the blog url and my motive to be here, I think I can start now. Oh but hang on....what about the blog title ?? ADDICTED ??
Is there even a need to elucidate ? that am addicted to good food. Now with that out of our way lets finally start

WORLD'S Best CHOLEY BHATUREY

Don't be mislead by the caption, and its upto you to believe it literally when I say World's best choley bhature. They might not be the world's best, but they are absolutely delicious, lipsmacking, often leave you wanting for more after your regular fill of a normal meal.....and quite frankly they are the best choley bhaturey that I have ever had.

Bhaturey - Minimal Oil, with above normal elasticity, tender, almost melting in your mouth, filled with a generous spread of paneer and a mixture which I think includes dhaniya and a few spices. Oh boy! I had more than 3 of those this afternoon, its been not more than 3 hours since and yet when am describing them, i feel like i can have a couple of them right now. Now digg that! Very unlike the Bhaturey which you normally get or even your mom would make at home.

Choley - Viscuous- almost halva like in density, tangy, a tad bit extra salt than you'd normally want (its not a complaint, mind you), with boiled and subsequesntly fried aalloo pieces thrown in. Garnished with a secret ingredient green chutney which spruces up the taste a few notches , coriander leaves and chopped onions.
You always have the option to add in not so great pickle (varies with season - carrot,mango,chillies)

Now take that bhatura and tear out a small piece which guarantess paneer falling out and add to the choley and put the sinful combination in your mouth. As you begin to savour the great taste, enjoying every bite and you suddenly realize that you have only shelled out INR 24/- unlike lousy ones you get at a swanky/overcrowded food joint with name that reminds you of a spice. you cant help but just say - bhai waah !!

The fact that to have them, you have to commute to a place which is a true reflection of what a real Indian city is makes the whole experience even more enjoyable. As you make your way through crowded purani dilli streets, with shops on both sides of the street which are not more than 3 metres apart selling almost anything and everything, you are welcomed by a variety of likable aromas , which I think are sourced out of Jalebis, Kachoris, chaat, parathas and anything which you can imagine in that league!
Cycles, Rickshaws, Two wheelers ,Hawkers, tourists (often searching for weed or already smoking), cattle, stray dogs - Imagine that in an area of few hundered square yards and you have a typical PaharGanj street. Its almost evident to you that you have to travel to Paharganj to try the Choley Bhaturey, so I will not keep you waiting anymore... here's the address
Sita Ram Diwan Chand Choley Bhaturey , Chuna Mandi, Paharganj, Near Imperial Cinema, Delhi!

Its almost 6 in the evening and am hungry again.. I need to go dig into my kitchen and hunt for some food. Give them a shot when you are around CP next time and oh yeah dont forget to tell me after you have them and still agree with me in saying that they are World's Best Choley Bhature !

cheers!