Tuesday, March 06, 2012

Life in the City - Vada Pao for the Soul

Chapter 5 - An Ode to the Humble Vada Pao

What's life without soul food? And if you think I'm talking daal-chawal-kadhi, yawwwwn think again. Soul food for the true Mumbaikar is the food that can be easily snagged off the tapris on the road and had with a cutting of adraki chai or ginger tea for the more anglicised. 


There are days when I wake up craving a hot vada pao, that's straight out of the vendor's kadai, still dripping black viscous oil through the sieve scooping it out of the bubbling cauldron. Never venture to look into the oil vat, you might not want to touch a vada again, nor look at the huge vessel in which the potato balls are given its besan-bath.But look at those crisp, crackling vadas that are carelessly tossed into the container near the vendor and the first moment of bliss overtakes you. 


(Disclaimer: Before I go further with my foodie musings, let me at the outset say - I am no connoisseur, I have a few regular places like most Mumbaikars for my secret vices - while the true Mumbaivaasi will scream 'blasphemy' at my dubbing vada-pao hogging as a vice - I must say my health-consciousness makes me admit, it's not an eating habit to be made a staple part of the diet. Precisely why I call it soul food!)


Now, comes the pao, but before that..I must confess I am very particular about how I like my vada pao - that's the reason why I'm no Jumbo person - anyone who's been to Mumbai knows about the big yellow stalls that can be seen across most railway stations and busy areas which sell a burgerised version of the vada-pao. I normally never look that way, not even for the sake of superior hygiene. I still go to my usual man at the Andheri station, when the whim strikes. If it strikes in Lower Parel, there is a shop really close to the traffic signal as one comes down the bridge from the station. Or my third option is the man, who stands by the High Court in Fort. 


The pao is rarely stale and what remained from the stock of the days gone by that went unsold. The churn-out rate in these places is so high, that very often people are forced to wait till a fresh batch of vadas are fried. 


Now when I say fresh pao, how do I describe it to someone who has never held that sponginess between their two hands? The toasty outside has a tiny crackle and when you split it into two to dab on the chutney, the bread isn't doughy, but instead so soft that the chutney sinks into it leaving just a green trail in its wake.


The reason why I like the humble vada pao so much is the skilled carelessness with which my favourite vada paowallahs make mine, in just the finicky way I like it. I like my steaming vada to be lightly crushed on to the bed of the pao which has been soaked with green chutney. Once it has been crushed into a compact form, a generous sprinkling of the dry fiery red garlic chutney is mandatory ( I don't like that sprinkled on to the green chutney, but on to the vada). Now comes the turn of a tiny tiny dab of sweet date and imli chutney on to the upper flap of the pao. And that brings the yin and yang of taste together - a sweetness to the fire generated doused by mildly spiced potatoes of the vada. But if the fire isn't enough to get your taste buds dancing, there are the humble green chillies (deep fried in the same oil as the vadas) to create heat of varied proportions too..


The first bite is like a series of tiny fire-crackers going off inside your mouth. The tongue is on fire, the taste-buds are on an over-drive and your senses are in bliss. The first vada pao is usually finished off, often greedily, in three measured bites. And chomping with your cheeks bulging out, in the manner that Amma says is not how food is eaten politely, gives it an added 'guilty pleasure' quotient. The second comes with the guilt of extra calories. If you can shrug that off, then it is highly recommended. Wash it down with lightly sweetened( I hate sugary concoctions) adraki chai and walk away with an added spring in your step. 


The pocket is only lighter by under twenty rupees and the soul filled to the brim! The journey towards Nirmal Anand (pure joy) is half complete. 


(Images courtesy: Open, Outlook and CNNGo)


And if your heart is still not full, go ahead and read this poem by Ugich Konitari. Entertainment is tax free! :) 


21 comments:

  1. Damn...now I'm positively drooling and missing vada pav...it was one of the first things I ate when I went back last year.

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    1. :) I know the itch...because I am on a diet and can't eat it, is the reason why I went on this overdrive. Describe it and relive the experience of eating it and revel in the whole experience for as long as I was writing about it. Though my taste buds are unfulfilled, the process of writing was as delicious as the vada pao..:)

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  2. This post has made my mouth water and am so home sick. There is nothing in this world like the hunble vada pav. simple and filling and so economic. The chutni with it....yummm...
    your newest follower and a regular visitor now, Glad to have found you at Indiblogger.
    cheers
    Kajal

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    1. Aah the Kajal of Dr.Seuss fame..:) I so totally agree, there is a post on chaats written while I was mooning about it during a long particularly harsh winter in the UK.. http://wordysketches.blogspot.in/2010/02/in-name-of-assorted-chaats.html And then I figured out a way to make my own Ragda Pattice with Chhole and Hashbrowns...That's the first time I realised there's no way to recreate the taste of a soft pao and vada...In fact a lot of my firang friends who visited me in Mumbai were willing to have them for breakfast, lunch or snack! :)

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  3. Came to your blog through Cyber Nag.

    Am in UK and after reading your post am seriously considering making a quick trip back to Mumbai to have that vada pav!

    I sometimes think vada pav should be deemed as our national dish or something! :)

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    1. Maddie, do read the comment I penned in reply to Kajal's....:) Chaats and especially vada pav were things I most missed while living in the UK..and the worst part was anything remotely Indian was so freaking expensive there. That's how I began making ragda pattice out of the oh-so-firang hashbrowns...:) You must read the link I have posted in the earlier comment..You will empathise for sure..Ohh by the way, if you are in London, Wood Lane will get you vada pao...:) It's not just Mumbai vada pao vendors that I know..:)

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  4. Whether you deny it or not, you are a Vada Pao connoisseur for sure :)

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    1. Keertana: :) Much as I don't want to think I love my food too much to not be able to part with the calories, sometimes I have to admit that's the truth. It's just that I do a far lot more of khit-pit about how many calories I'm piling on..:)

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  5. The things we do to avoid the calories but revel in the memories ! I could simply taste the stuff reading through your post. Another time, Magiceye (Deepak) posted such a mouthwatering photo of Vadapao, that a poem happened :

    http://kavitalihi.blogspot.in/2011/12/vada-paav-bada-bhaav.html

    !!

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  6. Wow, you are a poet too! I have tried my hand at everything other than prose and I suck and how..:) I was chuckling while I read your poem. I must add a link into this post so that others can read the poem and enjoy it too! Thank you SD :) You just made my post more special...:)

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    1. Another one . http://kavitalihi.blogspot.in/2012/02/life-and-times-of-samosa.html

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    2. Wow, Magiceye's photos and your poetry! :) I think that's called symbiotic writing..:)

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  7. Oh good post Jm! My favourite roadside stall was just outside our house. He used to make both, vada paos and bhajias. The entire neighbourhood used to crowd around that gada. Even my doctor aunt was addicted. Your post triggered off another memory - our chana jor garam wala and kulfi wala and their chants. The kulfi wala used to go "feeeeeeeeeeee" fading it out most beautifully and the chana jor garam wala used to sing, "Aiy chana masaleda-ar, chana lelo majeda-ar, chana jo-rgaram."

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    1. Chana Jor...hmmm...I think that will be part of the next post..:)

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  8. Wow. I've never eaten vada pav before, but NOW, i'm certainly going to try it. Any suggestions for good places in Delhi?

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    1. Marita, I unfortunately don't know Delhi too well, but I doubt you will get the experience of biting into that bit of sublime pleasure, though I must say it's like aloo chat never tasted as good to me anywhere but in Delhi. However, if you are ever in Mumbai, let me know and your first vada pao is on me! :)

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  9. I am so craving some hot vada pao right now!

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    1. Sumitra: Welcome to my blog and trust me, if you have a craving and you get one in your hand, it is like a little parcel of heaven was sent your way! :) But the secret to a good vada pao is crispy vadas and soft pao - so parcelling it is such a bad idea. Instant assembling and instant demolition are the only true ways to vada pao nirvana..:)

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  10. Talk of food and foodies are awake from their slumber...:)..awake, aroused..Just would like to mention since u spoke of Aloo Chaat in Delhi..I dont know if it is my bangla taste buds speaking but Kolkata wins hands down in mere taste tanginess of street food and the economy and the friendliness and the colours of the city make an excellent package.. U know Kolkata though so liberal at using sugar in any u-name-it dish.. street food is full fiery..yin and yang do not meet..but the fire and the 'oomph' factor..mind blowing..
    Loved your ode

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    1. Soma:Ooohhh...Im yet to try the puchchka or jhal muri..so I guess, I must defer that to you...:) Must say Kolkata is on my must-visit list...:)

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  11. And now I'm craving a vada pao at 3:30AM :) I so agree with the soul food part...my husband and I have our favorites in Chembur that we rush to whenever we get our wada-pao-cravings :)

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