Creative Non Fiction 2

A SWEET AND SAVOURY TASTE OF MEMORIES

Despite where we come from, food is the one element that brings everyone together.

Whether its plain mac and cheese or whether it’s a spicy butter chicken when we

consume food with friends and family as a whole, we feel connected.

Growing up in India I was fortunate enough to enjoy various delicious Indian cuisines

that extended my palate but also gave me warm memories that shaped my life around

me. Join me on a sweet and savoury journey of my favourite food and memories.

Golgappas

People have always asked me where I got these thighs from.

I always say “genes”, but if I’m being honest, it’s my dad’s fault.

You see, when my mom used to pick me up from school, she would take me

straight home, feed me fruit to eat like strawberries, mangoes grapes or bananas, tell

me to do my homework and send me to play with my friends.

When my Dad would pick me up, he would be driving, so he would detour and

he would stop near a street vendor and order Golgappas.

Golgappas are an Indian street food snack - they are these round fried wheat balls

that are stuffed with potatoes and chickpeas, and then filled in with spicy and tangy

water. You’re supposed to eat them in one bite because the minute you consume

them, your mouth is filled with immediate flavour jumping from one corner to another.

The spiciness rises up, and then it’s immediately dominated by the sweet tamarind

water.

It’s like being on a roller coaster, except the coaster is in your mouth.

This was one of my favourite memories with my Dad - he would pick me up and take

me to different local vendors and we would eat street food together.

Apart from the food, this was the only time when my Dad and I could hang out together.

We would eat and talk about my school, and I would tell him everything. I would tell

him about my fights with my friends, my annoying English homework, and that weird

teacher who yelled at me because I told her “Science facts” were actually wrong.

We would laugh, sometimes cry, and sometimes my jokes would turn into lectures.

But most of the time, just spending time with my dad made me feel relaxed and stress-

free.

For those few minutes, I didn’t have to think about school, homework, or worry

about whether or not Goku will be able to defeat Vegeta. This was our time and I was

happy I was spending it with my Dad.

My Dad and I also liked eating roasted peanuts. In India, next to the convenience store

near our house, an old man on a pushcart would roast peanuts in hot sand. He packed

these hot peanuts in a paper bag, and it would only cost 30 rupees. During winter, we

would sit near the fireplace and eat the peanuts. I was very bad at cracking the outer

cover, so my Dad would crack a handful of peanuts and give them to me.

I would always cherish these moments since throughout the day he would be

very strict, and I would often get scolded by him.

Many times, I even fought back, but this time was precious - he wasn’t stressed

anymore, it was almost dinner time, Mom was on her second whiskey, and brother

was in his room playing on his PSP. This was the time whilst I was on the floor playing

with my dogs while Dad talked to me, and we cracked jokes and teased my Mom.

These were the moments when we always got along.

Mangoes

I grew up on my father's farm. My father grew paddy, wheat, mustard and pulses, we

even have lychee, guava and mango orchards and also poplar fields. Growing up on

the farm meant that we had a lot to eat. Summertime on the farm was the best time.

The days were longer, the earth around us looked greener and a lot of butterflies would

come out to play.

This also meant that it was mango season. I have always loved mangoes they

have a soft juicy texture filled with ultimate sweetness. Thick juice drops off from your

lips as you bite into chubby yellow mango. In some countries, people prefer to cut the

outer layer chop dice the mango and eat it with a fork. I am sorry to inform but that’s

not how you enjoy a mango. You are supposed to peel the outer green or yellow layer,

devour the plump mango and then suck on the seed until it's clean. Mangoes are

supposed to be enjoyed, devoured and admired. Messy it is, but it’s the way to eat a

mango.

During summer it would get hot. To cool down my mom would open up an

inflatable pool, but after some time my brother and I had grown out of it, the inflatable

pool wasn’t enough. We had a tubewell behind our house. My dad during the afternoon

would get it cleaned and then the tubewell was ours to play in. We would relax in the

tubewell with fresh cool water flowing over our heads and our mom would hand us

mangoes and would eat them while enjoying the cold water. The water was fresh and

cooling and the mangoes made me feel overjoyed. Even our dogs would join in. It truly

felt like paradise.

Chinese Takeout

Normally I would enjoy home-cooked food. Sometimes when my mom was in good mood, she would surprise us by making  pies, bakes, lasagna and spaghetti. She always made delicious food and it filled me with delight, but sometimes the whole family just wanted to take a break and order takeout food.

Chinese food is actually quite popular in India. I mean… when I say “Chinese” food, I mean more like Indian-Chinese food. In India when restaurants make Chinese food they always give it an in Indian twist. Originally Chinese food was brought to India through trade but over a period of time the food evolved into a fusion of Chinese, Tibetan and North Eastern Indian food.

One of my favourite dishes is Chilli Chicken and Hakka Noodles. Chilli chicken is a crispy chicken coated in soy sauce, cooked with red and green pepper, and topped with sesame seeds. It has a sweet smooth saucy flavour mixed with a spicy twist that punches you with a chilli burst. Hakka Noddles are like a ‘fancier’ version of Chow Mien. It was first introduced in India by Chinese immigrants who used to reside in Kolkata.

These noodles are pan-fried that garnished with vegetables and seasoned with basic sauces, you can pair them up with anything.

This simple dish was always a cherished treat for me.

Nowadays we have delivery apps that provide us with many options but in the early 2000s, we had to order Indian-Chinese food from a small restaurant near our colony. It was a small place called Lotus Pond, they made very simple dishes and the food was alright. Quite often we would sit around the TV, watching the tv show ‘friends’ and eat our food while engaging in casual conversation.

After dinner, we would go for late nights walks and maybe pick up ice cream on our way back. This simple ritual of ordering food, sitting chatting, while my brother burped out his lungs out was the  ultimate family bonding experience, these rare moments were the truest moments that I will always cherish and look forward to.

In the end no matter where we come from food and memories is something that always stays with us and forms our identity. Strangely enough very often, even in unfamiliar surroundings, I am often transported back to my childhood memories , whenever I get a whiff of a familiar aroma.  Whether I live in UK or I live in India, food and memories is the one constant component of my life that reminds me of my identity. They are a part of my roots and they complete me.

Thank you for following me on my journey may this inspire you to think about your own food and memories.