Meal Time Companion

What does this remind you of?

Did you think of chatnis, veggies, and pickles placed round mounds of spicy puliyogare and tangy lemon rice or perhaps a Rajasthani thali?
No?
Well never mind, but that’s what we are going to talk about today. FOOD.

Yesterday I saw these guys deftly shape jalebis in smoking oil. When they were done to perfection (the jalebis of course) they transferred them into hot sugar syrup. A young helper wielded jalebis dripping syrup from a large skillet on to a spacious tray. But hey! We barely saw them in the tray before they were snatched away by eager customers who had lined up for the juicy snack.

I think, in Delhi, jalebis are more like religion. You have them with milk for breakfast, you have them as an evening snack, and in winter hot jalebis are welcome anytime. You remember that ad in which the boy goes round-eyed and says JaLebi? Well most people here go that way. And now I with my overly sweet-tooth, I am an addict too.

You see a fabulous commitment to food when families eat outside. You have big guys, serious daddys, and restless kiddos, sitting at the table and spooning mouthfuls of delight in perfect rhythm. Nothing distracts them. People running around, wall mounted LCD displays, blaring music and pestering flies are ignored while mounds of food are attacked with gusto.

I have no grouse against that, none at all.

But look at what happens at home. Mommy (or a convenient cook) toils over hot coals (ok ok a four stove gas burner) to make a royal meal (err…maybe it is plain old roti-daal-and yesterday’s sabji, or rice-saaru and palya). Dad, kids and elders troop into the kitchen. Pick up their plates piled with the nourishment. They file into the hall. TV is tuned in. Phone calls are attended and channels are surfed. Mindlessly and mechanically we stuff morsel into mouth till the plate is empty.

But do people talk to people in the same room? Whaat! Are we supposed to do thaaaat? Whatever for.

I say

• Turn Off The TV.
• Sit at a table.
• And have one meal together as a family.
• It is worth it.

Haven’t the wise men of ancient times said-

• (In Kannada) - Yella hotteygaagi
• (Or in Hindi) - do waqt ke roti ke liye

After all, don’t we go through all the strife of earning only for a stomach full of food (…and a wardrobe of clothes, and a feather-in-my-cap certificate from boss, and not to mention a biiiiiiig car and a neat flat)

I spoke to some of my students and convinced them to try this at home. They would have dinner with the family for 5 days with the TV switched off. They came back with insightful observations. I list them for you.

Smitha Gopal: Ma’m, Past one week everyday I have listened to lectures of what I should do and how I should behave. I think I will stick to TV for meal time companion.

 Arjun Jagadeesh: Dad would ask us a problem that the world faces and we brothers would try and provide solutions. Thanks ma’am great idea.

 Aftab: I realise we have brinjal and potato very often and I don’t like brinjal.

 Sheetal Jain: Though I sit with the family for five days for dinner they only talk to my little brother. I really like him a lot too. But I felt left out. TV is better.

 Prarthana Reddy: I did not know my dad said so many jokes. He made us laugh a lot. Grandpa makes noise while eating.

 Rohini Mallya: Because of this assignment I could not complete my library book on time….still, it was nice.

 Who would you rather sit with for dinner?

•  Family?
• TV?
• Book?

Sorry. That was a rhetorical question. You are supposed to say family!

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