The Chicken egg roll, a popular street food here tastes far better than the bland, cabbage filled, crunchy Chinese rolls we get in US. "Sita Bhog", a sweet of different kind from the Cuttack Sweet Stall near Rajmahal Chhak tasted so sweet.
Before I started my India trip, I made a promise to myself not to eat any Pizza, Burger, or KFC during my stay. I have religiously stuck to it. With a plethora of food options available, it's not a difficult promise to keep.
I feel flattered and flabbergasted by the heroic welcome I am getting, having done nothing heroic except visiting them. Whatever comes close to my mouth, I am devouring like a pig, especially the stuff either I don't get in US - even if I get rarely tastes the same.
A perfect example is the duo diary products DAHI (yogurt) and CHENA (the cheese of Odisha. It is similar to the Cottage cheese of America and forms the base of most local sweets). Though outnumbered in terms of quantities and varieties compared to their counterparts in US, the local diary products of milk, yogurt, cheese have its distinct taste and unmatched flavor.
Same goes with the King of fruits Mangoes, now in season and plentily available. The Mexican and Brazillian varieties we get in US are no match in taste and texture to the sweet and succulent ones available here.
Indians in general and Odias in particular are champion hosts and I am taking the full advantage of their generosity. When it comes to treating guests, we leave no stones unturned. Visit any home, take it for granted that platefuls of food will be showered on you with tons of affection.
Even if you frantically wave your hand over your plate saying "no more please" you still will be served more till you end up licking your fingers. Most Odiyas I know have a liberal spending habit, especially on food. The bulk of money earned by a typical middle class Odia is spent on food.
But our fondness for food often leads to breaking the line (or queue as they say here) at fast food eateries, sweet shops and other public gatherings. While busy ordering at Cuttack Sweets, a guy from nowhere suddenly barged in. He had no patience to wait for another customer ahead of him.
Extending his hand holding couple of 100 rupee notes (bills) over my shoulder he ordered - "DAZANE CHHENA JHILLI DABA, (gimme a dozen Chenna Jhilli)" - a popular sweet here. I politely told him to wait for his turn. He responded - "TIKE URGENTE KAMA THILA. MAUSI PUA KU VETI THANTI. LAYTE HAI GALENI (Had a little urgent work. Want to meet my cousin. So, I am getting late").
I responded in Odia, "We all have urgent work and cousins, with an urgent urge to meet them". It didn't seem to deter his recalcitrance. Then I reiterated myself, this time transliterating what I just said in Odia to English. Now he miraculosly fell in line. In Odisha we love to respect those who speak in any language other than Odia - more if that language is English.
At marriage receptions breaking line is a common thing. While waiting for the server to pour on my plate, I saw couples of plates over my shoulder, both held by ladies. Though ahead of them in line, I stepped back to allow them to go ahead of me. They looked flustered and hesitant. With bewilderment in eyes, they backed down and said in unison, "APANA NIANTU (You take)". "No ma'ams. It's always Ladies first. Please go ahead", I insisted. "No no, you please go ahead" - they changed their line, forcing me to get my dollop of food from the server ahead of them.
One person who's concerned about my eating habits is my mom who is concerned that I don't eat enough rice. Like most mothers from our generation, a tall mound of rice eaten mixed with several side items assures stomach full of satisfaction. My explanation of the lack of need to gobble up redundant carb especially in tropical weather, falls into deaf ears. More later...
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